Even Queens Get Lonely
by emmareden
Summary: So this is sort of an alternative world but not...kind of thing. Basically, Henry doesn't exist but Emma ends up in Storybrooke anyway and a lonely Regina decides to take advantage of her after she's in a car accident and can't remember anything. A twisted look at how desperate Regina is for attention and love in the cursed town that she created out of vengeance. Multi-chapter.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1.

Regina sighed as she waved a hand, turning the television off. So many years in this world and she still didn't get TV, it just didn't entertain her. She'd much rather read a book or write. In fact, sometimes she just liked to sit and think. Sometimes she hated it. Lately, it had been the latter.

For twenty-eight years, she had tried to cover up her loneliness. For a while it had worked, it was easy to sit back and laugh as the rest of the town wandered around, oblivious to their lives. The mayor's job gave her the authority she liked, and exercising that power over Storybrooke, making the residents as miserable but as peaceful as she wanted.

This night, she was tired though. The loneliness that had been threatening to overcome her for so long, was beginning to brim out. After all, she didn't have any friends, just pawns in a game, really. She had killed the only man that she loved; her father. She never regretted it exactly, or never let herself regret it anyway, but there was an ache that she sometimes acknowledged, for another person to share this life with.

So this night, she decided to go on a walk. It was late, there wouldn't be many townsfolk about and so she put on her coat and wrapped a scarf tightly around her neck and headed out the front door.

The mayor looked up at the clock which had never ticked a second since it's creation in this town. She smiled to herself and continued on, digging her hands deep in her pockets as the a few snowflakes began to fall.

She liked the cold, it felt good to her skin and deep in her bones. She liked rugging up with her favourite scarf. She was almost to the town line, the road leading out of Storybrooke, and closed her eyes, breathing in the smell of the first snow of winter and didn't it feel fresh and clean in her lungs.

Regina's eyes snapped open as she heard a skidding along the misty road and a small, yellow car screeched to a stop inches from ramming into a tree Just inside the town line. The dark haired woman hesitated for only a moment before running to the driver's door and pulling it open. A blonde woman, perhaps a couple of years younger than her, sat at the wheel, looking disoriented but otherwise okay.

"Are you okay?" Regina asked, putting a hand on the other woman's shoulder.

The blonde blinked slowly and turned to the older woman, "Uh-huh," she said a little dopily.

"You're not hurt? What's your name?" Regina asked, trying to assess the situation.

"I don't think so," the woman unclipped her seatbelt, "Emma, my name's Emma. Where am I?"

"Storybrooke," Regina replied on automatic.

Emma's eyebrows creased, "Storybrooke," she curled her tongue around the unfamiliar word.

Regina nodded, "Storybrooke, Maine. Do you remember where you were going?" she asked, starting to grow concerned for her own reasons now. Who was this woman who could enter Storybrooke, her town? Nobody should be able to find this town, how had this woman skidded straight into it, with no intention whatsoever?

"Nowhere in particular, I-I can't really remember," Emma shrugged, sitting forward in her seat, trying to get a grasp on the situation she was in. "What's your name?" she realised she hadn't asked who this woman was.

"Regina, Regina Mills. I'm the mayor of Storybrooke," she answered; calming down; this woman seemed harmless. She couldn't remember a thing.

"The mayor?" Emma asked incredulously, "A mayor and a superhero, who knew?" she smiled up at the brunette. It took Regina a moment to recognise the look on the younger woman's face; gratitude, appreciation, something she hadn't seen in a very long time. And it was then that she had an idea.

She smiled, "I'm hardly a superhero, dear. Come, why don't I take you to get some rest?"

Emma nodded, climbing out of the car clumsily as Regina supported her back to the mayor's house.

Regina handed a glass of water to the younger woman who took it gratefully and sipped it slowly as she rested her head on the cushion of the mayor's couch. Regina smiled as she lifted a blanket over Emma before she swept her blonde hair off of her face. The younger woman wasn't hurt, but she was tired and confused and the mayor saw an opportunity.

Perhaps it was cruel but she needed someone to love, and who was she to deny a chance so well presented. The rest of the night was spent with Regina giving Emma new memories, that yes, maybe Regina was a superhero (and not the villain) who had saved her and that she was more than grateful, she loved the older woman and would never think of leaving her. It was a long night, but through both talking therapy helped along with a little magic, by the morning, Regina wasn't alone anymore and maybe, she thought, that ache in her chest would begin to fade, even if her heart had only grown darker by deceiving her newfound companion.

"Regina? Regina?" Emma called out and within seconds the brunette was beside the couch, kneeling down beside her.

"What is it, dear?" Regina asked.

"Sorry, I just panicked when you weren't here," the younger woman mumbled, averting her eyes.

Regina's eyes lit up; finally, somebody who needed her, "That's okay, I'm here now. Are you feeling okay?"

Emma nodded, "I guess. A bit of a headache," she sat up, throwing the blanket from her body, "My head feels kind of fuzzy. What happened last night?"

Regina bit her bottom lip to stop herself from smiling, "You just got in a small accident on your way from the grocery store, you're fine though. Well," she frowned, "except for that headache. Let me take care of that for you," she flicked her wrist casually, with a wry smile upon her crimson lips.

Emma blinked and raised a hand to her head, "Thanks," she said, "I forgot you could do that."

The older woman smiled; it seemed her magic had worked, just like it always did. Emma would be under the impression she had lived with Regina in Storybrooke for as long as she could remember and she would never know any differently. She would be the only one in the town to know of Regina's magic so she must be sure that the younger woman knew not to tell anybody else. Not that Regina planned on letting her socialise much with members of this town.

"Mm, I can do anything dear," she smiled as she cupped Emma's cheek in her hand, "But you do remember, you can't mention the," she hesitated, "…the magic to anybody else."

Emma's eyes were transfixed on the mayor; she was beautiful, she really was, her very presence seemed to stir something in Emma's bones, in her chest and she nodded, "Of course, I won't tell a soul," she smiled and then her smile grew when the older woman beamed at her. Emma didn't know why but she just had this urge inside of her to please Regina; she felt she would do anything to appease the older woman, and happily so.

"Good girl," Regina replied, brushing her thumb over the younger woman's cheek, biting the inside of her cheek; this was better than she could have imagined.

Nobody had looked at her the way the young blonde was right now, for many, many years. She seemed to have forgotten what it was like to be needed, to be loved. And she found herself quite enjoying the attention from the younger woman. This was what she needed, she thought, to have someone to dwindle away the lonely days away in this miserable, cursed town. And this, she thought, was only the beginning.

She almost forgot to worry about just how this woman had found her way into Storybrooke. It had happened before though, with a young boy and his father. She would visit the town line tomorrow and strengthen the shield just in case.

Emma's eyes were fluttering closed again; long periods of exposure to magic tended to do that some people, "Mm," she put her head back down on the cushion.

Regina stood up and lifted the younger woman's head as she sat on the couch, replacing Emma's head in her lap as she began to stroke her hair, "Shh, go back to sleep."

"But I want to spend time with you," Emma protested, still fighting her own heavy eyes.

Regina chortled, "We've got all the time in the world, dear. Don't you worry your pretty little head about time, we have forever," she whispered. 


	2. Holding On Tight

Chapter 2

Regina placed down a plate of bacons and eggs in front of her new companion with a small smile on her lips.

"Thanks," said the blonde enthusiastically as Regina took the seat next to her, "Looks great."

The mayor smiled, "Dig in," she nodded as she picked up her own cutlery.

Emma couldn't help but return that smile every time the brunette flashed her white teeth; she was happy. Regina had taken good care of her guest, only leaving her alone in the mansion to strengthen the shield and dispose of the yellow car that Emma had crashed through the town line.

Regina left a sleeping Emma on the couch; the woman's body and mind was still recovering, and quickly made her way to the basement. She couldn't afford to leave the woman alone, so she had broken her own rules and stored her heart in a new fashioned vault in the basement of her mansion. It was risky, but necessary.

This too was where she had been working on a solution to readjust the entire town's memories in one foul swoop. After all, she couldn't let Emma leave the house until this had been done or disaster would strike. Emma's memories had been replaced with one's of Storybrooke; now it was time to replace Storybrooke's memories with those that included Emma.

She pinched the smallest of extracts from the young woman's heart and placed it in a beaker as she combined it with various liquids, talking quietly to herself the entire time until she was ready to cast the spell. She took a step back, waved a hand and the beaker exploded into a purple smoky mess. Regina smiled as the smoke curled and flew out through the window, ready to wash over the town and it's people, content that she had achieved her plan. Waving a hand quickly, she cleaned up the remaining beakers and grinning proudly to herself spun around –

"What…How…What did you do? I thought you didn't like using magic? You told me you were trying not to use magic," Emma blinked, looking concerned before her eyes fell on the glowing heart a few feet from her.

Regina tried to keep her cool; she had told Emma she wasn't using magic, she still needed that to be kept secret, even to her new pet. It would be dangerous to have anyone around who knew too much about the going's on of Regina's hold over Storybrooke.

"Emma, I'm not using magic," she said calmly, taking a few quick steps towards the woman, "It was a one off, that's all. I told you, I would not use it unless it was absolutely necessary."  
Emma frowned, "So why was it necessary?" she persisted.

"Emma, don't worry about it. Please, just trust me," she held the other woman's face in both her hands and fixed her with that heavy gaze.

Emma looked back into those chocolate brown eyes and after thinking for a moment, nodded, "I do trust you," she whispered.

"Good girl," Regina whispered huskily, relieved but scolding herself for being so careless.

Emma smiled before her eyes diverted from the older woman's face and onto the glowing heart sitting beside them, "What…is that?"

Regina almost cursed aloud, instead clearing her throat and picking up the heart lightly, turning away from the blonde and opening a drawer inserting the heart back into it's case, "Nothing," she said, waving a hand dismissively, "Come, why don't we go upstairs?"

Emma didn't know what it was about the brunette, but intrinsically she seemed to know when she should stop questioning her. She didn't like to discuss magic; Emma supposed that was why she had been hiding in the basement doing it. She was sick of being stuck in the house though, it almost felt like Regina was hiding her here; claiming that she was sick, and she was feeling ridiculously tired, maybe she was sick, she didn't know; she just felt weird.

"Can we go into town today?" she asked Regina.

Regina hesitated, before smiling, "You're not too tired?"

Emma shook her head, "No, I'm not too tired. Please, can we go?"

Regina's eyes showed her panic for a mere moment before she composed herself, "Why don't we stay in today? We can watch that show you like."

The blonde woman looked disappointed but nodded, "Okay," she said sadly before shrugging and looking Regina in the eye, "You don't have to be scared, you know. I won't leave."

Regina felt the breath catch in her chest; why was this woman able to read her so well? Was she really that obvious? She wondered if she should let her go and try to find another companion, a less observant one perhaps. But no, she liked Emma. She would not give in either, she needed the power, the control.

"I know dear, but you still look peaky to me," she held Emma's chin with a thumb and forefinger, "I just want to take care of you. You know that."

Emma bit her lip, "Of course I do," she nodded, "I want to take care of you too, you know."

And just like that, with that look in Emma's eyes and those words fallen from her mouth, Regina's expression softened and so did something inside. She could not replace Emma, she felt something shift in her heart, the echo of a feeling that she hadn't experienced in so very many years, and somehow, she forgot about the fact that Emma's heart was in fact in a drawer in her basement, and managed to fool even herself that this woman cared just as much for her, out of free will and not a magic spell.


	3. Silencing

Chapter 3.

_Regina had her arms wrapped tightly around Emma as the two curled up on the couch, watching some mindless television. She rested her chin on the blonde's shoulder, her eyes glazing over and her mind wandering as she stared at the television without really seeing it. _  
Regina was jerked out of her thoughts as Emma laughed loudly next to her, at something Regina had clearly missed on the television. She looked across at the still smiling Emma next to her, and bit her lip down before she chuckled. Emma looked across at her.  
"That was a delayed reaction," she noted, tilting her head.  
Regina shrugged, "I was laughing at you, not the television."  
Emma pouted, "Why, what did I do?"  
Jeez, just when Regina thought the blonde couldn't be anymore adorable, she had to pull that face, Regina thought, "You just look cute when you laugh like that," she said quietly.  
Emma blushed; she should have been used to the older woman's compliments now, but her low voice sent tingles down her spine, "Thank you," she mumbled, staring into Regina's chocolate-brown eyes.  
Regina stared right back for a moment before she broke eye contact and looked down at Emma's left hand resting on the couch cushion. She could actually feel her breath caught in her chest and cursed herself; why was she so nervy around the younger woman? She held all the cards, hell she held this woman's heart.  
With a slow and unsteady hand, she covered the distance between them on the couch and brushed her fingers against Emma's hand, before covering it with her own and forcing herself to look up at the younger woman. Emma smiled and squeezed Regina's fingers gently as she shuffled closer to the older woman.  
"I've been waiting for a sign," Emma whispered.  
Regina frowned, "What do you – "  
Emma didn't let her finish as she pressed her lips onto Regina's and put a hand on to her cheek, staying like that for the longest moment, but it felt all too quick when she ran out of breath and pulled away, seeing the watery eyes of Regina staring at her.  
"Hey, what's wrong? Don't cry," Emma whispered, running her thumb over the single tear that had escaped the other woman's eye.  
Regina gritted her teeth, annoyed at herself, "I'm sorry," she mumbled; the truth was, it was nothing like she had imagined, but so much more and she didn't know if she could deal with feeling so much…emotion. This wasn't how it was meant to work; this was meant to be easy, Emma was meant to keep her company on dark nights, it wasn't meant to be so…real. Especially when it wasn't, Regina thought to herself angrily, the only reason Emma was here was because Regina had her heart locked away under an enchantment. The question was, was that enough for Regina?

Then Emma whispered something in her ear that Regina didn't even hear before she pressed her lips to the brunette's again, this time nibbling on her bottom lip until she opened her mouth and their tongue's had their first dance together. Regina felt dizzy with aching; she hadn't been so…intimate with anyone, physically or emotionally for such a long time, this was too much, she thought. She'd made a mistake, she was better off alone… But then she felt Emma's hand on her waist push her down gently and the blonde climbed on top of her, their bodies entangled, burying her face in the older woman's neck as she began to nip and suck and graze her teeth gently over smooth skin as Regina sighed, leaning her head back granting further access as she failed to hold back a moan. Just once, she thought, then I'll discard this stupid failure of an experiment. I'm better off alone. What was she even thinking? She'd dealt with loneliness for this long, she was Regina, the evil queen, she didn't need… she didn't need anyone. So why did she have this ache in her chest and to her very core when the blonde moved her hands onto Regina's bare stomach, quickly followed by her lips. This had turned into something she never meant it to be; this woman was bringing up feelings in her she thought she would never feel again, feelings that she never wanted to feel again. But, maybe, maybe that was what she had wanted all along? She was driving herself crazy.  
"Hey," Emma interrupted her thoughts, withdrawing her lips for a moment and replacing them with her hands on her stomach.  
Regina blinked and looked down at her, expressionless, "What is it?" she asked, stupidly.  
"Stop thinking so much," the blonde whispered, a smile playing on her lips.  
"Sorry," Regina found herself mumbling.  
Emma shrugged, grinning, "It's okay. You're so stuck in your own head," she paused, nibbling on her lip, "Why don't you let me distract you?"  
Regina put a hand on Emma's cheek but the younger woman smiled and removed it, kissing her hand gently. She paused and moved her hands to the hem of her own shirt and pulled it off over head. Regina blinked quickly and her hand, as if moving of it's own free will moved to the other woman's collarbone as she trailed it down slowly, her eyes following her hand. In a sudden motion, she put a hand in Emma's hair and pulled her down on top of her before quickly flipping their positions and immersing herself in the blonde woman's body, finally able to cease the thoughts ricocheting around her head. 


	4. A Decision To Make

Chapter 4.

Emma breathed out slowly as she stared at the ceiling, feeling Regina's hand in her hair. Her eyes fluttered closed contentedly as she listened to the other woman' still rapid heartbeat in her ear, a small smile on her lips, also revelling in the feeling of the rise and fall of Regina's chest.

"We should…move," Regina said after a few moments, clearing her throat.

"Why?" Emma mumbled, not opening her eyes.

Regina shifted her body slightly, but not removing her hand from the other woman's hair, "I'm going to go to bed," she said suddenly, and pushed the other woman away as she sat up.

"What? Are you okay? Regina – ", Emma frowned.

"I'm fine," Regina replied, standing up and grabbing her clothes, "I'm tired," she continued dismissively, walking away.

Emma frowned and swung her legs off the couch, watching the older woman walk away. She sighed, shaking her head; she didn't understand. She knew Regina was scared, but she hadn't figured out exactly what it was she was afraid of. She thought they'd just beaten another barrier down, breaking the sexual tension that had been building up since Emma arrived in Storybrooke but now… Regina was just walking away from her? It was hard not to take offence at that.

Regina closed her bedroom door and threw her clothes onto the floor, climbing into the bed in her underwear. She pulled the covers tight and closed her eyes. She didn't want to think, but she couldn't stop her mind's wheel's turning over and over.

She'd enjoyed having Emma around, but it was a constant battle of when to…dispose of this particular venture. At the start, she'd thought it would be nice to have someone around, a friend, something she'd never really had before, somewhere to share this miserable life with, but then came the attraction and she thought maybe, maybe it could be something more.

After all, she had the blonde's heart in her dungeon; she could make this go any way she wanted. And so she did; but she couldn't help being reminded of her last…conquest. Graham. It had hardly ended well. And did she learn from her mistakes? She thought angrily, what a fool she was being.

She knew this was different anyway; Graham had never been more than a means to an end. She'd wanted to love him, truly she had, but life had been showing her time and time again you can't force love. It might work temporarily but it can never replace the real thing. Maybe if she'd never known true love, it would be enough… Maybe if she'd never known Daniel's love and never felt, expressed her own, then she could settle for this imitation of love.

But she liked Emma, more than she'd ever liked Graham. She didn't want to purely use Emma for sex and company. She actually enjoyed the younger woman's company and when she wasn't around her, her mind wandered tho the younger woman. She didn't even know what this feeling was. She let the tears escape her screwed up eyes.

Emma tossed and turned through the night; she didn't like the way Regina had left things. It was horrible to go from so…ecstatic to total confusion and abandonment. A part of her really wanted to knock on Regina's door and climb into her spacious bed to snuggle up with her, tell her it was okay to be close, that she really did care about the older woman, that she didn't need to be scared of…whatever it was that scared her so much.

She'd decided against it; maybe Regina needed to figure that out herself. But Emma just couldn't stop the conflicting thoughts. She just wanted to make the older woman feel safe with her. Because that's how Regina made Emma feel; safe. She really, really liked Regina but she still felt some kind of ache, some kind of emptiness in her chest and she didn't understand that. She'd thought maybe the sex would bring them closer, and she could feel the love that she craved.

She just didn't understand, her feelings for the older woman were so strong, and so intense but it didn't feel like the same kind of love she'd ever had for friends, for her old boyfriend Neal, it felt different somehow.

Emma awoke with a scream, in such intense pain that her eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark. Regina was crouched over her and she her hand was…in her chest. Magic. Why was Regina using magic? And why against her?

"What are you doing?" Emma gasped, gritting her teeth in pain as her head spun.

Regina's eyes brimmed with tears, "Fixing a mistake," she replied, withdrawing her shaking hand and backing away, watching Emma with wide eyes.


	5. The Wait

Chapter 5.

Emma's breathing was heavy and shaking as she stared at Regina, blinking rapidly, trying to ignore the thumping in her head.

"What, what did you do?" she asked between breaths.

Regina swallowed hard, "I put your heart back," she replied quietly.

Emma frowned, "My heart," she echoed, placing a hand over her chest absent minded, "I don't…Why…" she couldn't find her words, she felt weird. Different. Unsettled.

"You crashed into Storybrooke," Regina started slowly; not only had she given Emma her heart back but she'd returned her memories, though it could be a slow process, "I took your heart," she admitted, "So you would…stay here with me."

Emma shook her head, "Why?" she asked. She remembered now, she did crash her car and Regina had turned up; she'd saved her and… "That night, you bought me back here. You made me believe I'd been here forever. You used…magic," the word sounded weird, felt weird coming from her mouth.

Regina nodded, wiping a tear from her cheek, "Yes, I did."

"Why?" Emma whispered, up on her knee's on the bed now, staring at the older woman with eyebrows knitted together, trying to understand.

The brunette hesitated, "I just wanted a friend," she said in a low voice, trying not to choke on her words.

"A friend? We…we were intimate," Emma replied, not able to ignore the heat creeping up onto her cheeks.

Regina was grinding her teeth, "Emma, I really, really care about you. That wasn't fake, I swear. I…I…" she stuttered and faltered, "Please, stay," she ended in a whisper, somewhat helplessly.

Emma measured the other woman with her eyes; Regina was failing to stop the flow of tears coursing down her cheeks, as quickly as she would angrily flick them away more would appear, "I can't pretend I don't have these," she paused, "feelings for you, Regina. I just can't figure this…" she put her hand to her chest again, frowning.

Regina bit her lip down, surveying the younger woman before she crawled onto the bed, sitting on her knee's in front of the blonde. Hesitatingly, she raised a cautious hand to Emma's cheek and scraped her fingers lightly against it, her heart almost stopping when Emma's lips curled upwards into a small smile. A moment later, she crawled into the older woman's arms and put her head into her chest and she felt Regina's arms encircle her.

"I'm sorry," Regina choked out, "I just wanted to be loved again."

Emma just buried her head further into Regina's chest, "I know. Before I came here," she bit the inside of her cheek before continuing, "That's all I wanted too. I was just running away," she shrugged, "From place to place. I could never just…settle. Until you."

Regina let her arms fall away from the blonde, "Only because I took your heart," she said softly.

Emma pulled her head out of Regina's chest to look at her, placing her hands on either side of the brunette's face, "I have my heart now," she whispered.

Regina nodded slowly, "You do," she agreed.

"And I," Emma stopped for a moment, "I'd like to stay…for now, at least. I'm tired, my head hurts, I feel weird…"

"I'm sorry," Regina breathed, "It's a big impact on the mind…bringing back all those memories… It will ease soon, I promise."

Emma shrugged, "It's not just that, it's my…feelings. I can't figure it out, I can't feel, I'm so confused, I just want things to make sense again," she finished loudly, in frustration, throwing her hands into the air before gripping her head and screwing her eyes closed.

Regina's eyes were full of guilt as she took Emma's hands in her own, "I'm sorry," she'd never said the word so much, let alone meant it, "You need to sleep. Please, sleep," she gestured towards the pillow, "Things will be clearer tomorrow, really, they will."

Emma nodded and lay back on the bed, turning her face into the pillow and pulling the covers up to reach her chest. As she closed her eyes, she felt Regina move closer and felt a hand in her hair for a brief moment before she felt the covers tighten around her and the weight leave the bed. She opened her eyes and made a noise in her throat, stretching out her hand. Regina felt the brush of fingers against her own and turned around.

"Stay with me, please," Emma asked.

Regina nodded and squeezed Emma's hand as she sat down on the bed beside her watching the blonde woman close her eyes. Regina took a shaky breath in; for all she knew, this could be her last night with the woman, and though she considered magic again for the quickest minute, she knew she could never use it this way again. All she could do now was wait to see exactly how Emma's feelings would settle by the morning. She tried not to think about the fact that by this time tomorrow, she could be alone again, and this time forever. 


	6. The Truth Kinda

Chapter 6

Regina sat, fingers tapping the glass that her hand encircled. Maybe this was a mistake. It would be so easy to return to Emma's room and start again; she could still erase all this. Change her memories and take her heart again, bury it in her vault. And then she wouldn't have to be alone, she thought.

She sighed because she knew, even if she did use magic to trick Emma into staying…again, she would still be alone. She'd learnt from her own mother how not to love, and how if you held too tight you would only drive people away. And if you were tricked into loving a person, it really wasn't love at all. True love wasn't something you could create, without any amount of magic.

In a sudden moment of frustration, Regina picked up her glass and threw it against the wall, watching it smash against the wall and shatter over the floor before she put her head in her hands. She'd always used magic. It solved everything. There was nothing she couldn't do without her power. And now…now, it had betrayed her.

What hurt the most was this wasn't the first time she had felt like this, so why did she keep blindly using magic, thinking it would change things? It hadn't killed Snow White, because she had had true love, it hadn't been able to bring Daniel back from the dead, it had soured her relationship with her mother deeply, she hadn't even been able to keep that little boy, Owen, in Storybrooke with magic; his own love for his father too powerful.

She sighed; it seemed everyone had something more powerful than magic besides her; true love. She'd thought she could live without it, power trumping every human emotion, but almost as soon as she'd landed in this world, this town, she'd realised how wrong she had been.

"Regina?" a small but steady voice interrupted her thoughts.

She pulled her head out of her hands quickly and tried to compose herself as she saw the blonde standing awkwardly in the doorway, "Hey," she said, a little stupidly.

Emma smiled, "Hey," she echoed as she took a few tentative steps forward, spotting the smashed glass, "What happened?"

Regina followed her eyes onto the pieces of glass strewn over the floor, cursing herself internally, the noise must have woken the younger woman, she shrugged in answer.

"You threw it," it wasn't a question so Regina just shrugged again, "Are you okay?"

Regina looked at Emma incredulously, after everything, why was there still that tenderness in those forest green eyes. Regina frowned, "I'm fine," she lied, before hesitating, "What about you?"

Emma ran a hand through her hand as she moved closer to the older woman, "Headache's gone," she smiled as she pulled out the chair next to Regina and sat down, "I don't know though," her brow furrowed, "I know you think it was just the magic, but I still…feel for you," she paused, "It hasn't gone away," she finished, slowly.

Regina frowned, "It hasn't?"

Emma shook her head, "Nope," she said simply, as her hand found Regina's, "I mean, I'm not exactly a fan of the way you took my heart to keep me here, not that I really understand how that's possible – "

"It's magi – "

Emma held up a hand, "I know, it's magic. But where I come from, magic is just from some land of fairy tale's, it's not real. Real people don't have magic. I thought maybe I was losing my mind… I don't know, maybe I am," she stopped and her shoulders dropped, "I mean…you're human, right?"

Regina nodded, "I'm human. And you're not losing your mind, Emma," to prove it, she flicked her wrist at the broken pieces of glass at the ground which reassembled themselves perfectly on the table, down to the last few drops of whiskey that had resided there before the smash. She couldn't help smiling at the wonder if Emma's eyes.

Emma blinked a few times, staring at the glass, "Right. Is that why you won't let me go into town?" she asked quietly, "Does everyone here have magic?"

Regina was taken aback by the question and stuttered, "Well…well," she sighed, "Not exactly. Not anymore," she sighed, continuing at the quizzical look on the blonde's face, "I took it away," she said softly.

"You took it away?" Emma repeated slowly, "Why would you do that?"

Regina hung her head for a moment, before raising it to meet those eyes again, and reached a hand to gently cup the other's woman's cheek, "I'm not a nice person," she almost whispered.

Emma tilted her head and half-nuzzled into the older woman's hand; it felt nice to be touched by her again, "I don't believe that," she whispered back, lightly pecking the palm of Regina's hand.

Regina's eyes widened, "Even after…after I – "

"You're just scared to be alone," Emma replied matter of factly and when, seeing the fear that entered Regina's eyes added, "But you're not alone now."

Regina grimaced, too afraid to hope, "But you don't want to stay, not really. Not now," it wasn't a question, more of a resignation, though she tried to hide the defeat in her tone.

Emma pulled Regina's hand from her cheek and ran it down her body, leaving it to rest over her chest, "Feel that?" she asked, "I have my heart now, right? I want to stay."

Regina's fingers tingled feeling the pulse under her hand and she couldn't help herself; she surged forward and pressed her lips against Emma's, one hand still resting on her heart and the other gripping her behind the ear and pulling her close. Emma responded eagerly for a few moments before she pulled away, licking her lips as she looked into Regina's dark eyes, pupils slightly more dilated than usual.

"But things have to be different, you can't keep me locked up in here, Regina," she said, a little nervously, tracing her fingers over the hand that the brunette still held over her heart, "I need to go out, I've hardly seen the town, I – "

"I know," Regina said lowly, "I know. This town…it's complicated. Nobody new ever comes here… not since… and not… not until now."

Emma's face wrinkled as she tried to understand these half-cut sentences, "Regina, what is this place?"

Regina sighed, "I'll tell you. Then you can really decide if you want to stay or not." 


	7. Storybook, Storybrooke

Chapter 7.

Emma's head was spinning, "So, you put a curse on…everyone to move them to this world, without magic," she said slowly, trying to take in what Regina was telling her, "Because you were trying to get revenge… On who?"

Regina sighed, "A woman called Snow White, she – "

"Snow White?" Emma laughed, "You're pulling my leg, right?"

Regina frowned, confused, "Why would I be pulling your leg, dear?"

"Snow White isn't real," Emma chuckled, "She's from a fairy tale. It's just a kids story."

Regina tilted her head; "A fairy tale? You said that earlier too… What is that?"

Emma's eyebrows met as she came to the realisation Regina really had no idea what she was talking about, "A fairy tale. I don't know, they are just these bedtime stories about princesses and stuff that parents tell to their kids. They try to like teach kid moral stories or whatever through them, I guess, like little red riding hood is this chick and she goes to see her grandma or something but there's this wolf and, well it depends which version you read, sometimes she survives but sometimes she gets killed, or the grandma gets killed and anyway, it's meant to teach us not to trust strangers."

Regina blinked, "Well, that's not exactly how it goes. But," she hesitated, "I know Red, well she's Ruby now, but you got the story wrong. Red is the wolf."

Emma laughed, "Right, that's a cool twist, Regina," she stopped laughing when she saw Regina looking pale, "Hey…what, you're serious, aren't you?"

The brunette nodded weakly, "What other… fairy tale's do you have?"

Emma bit her lip, "Um, well Snow White, obviously and – "

"What's her story?" Regina asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

"Well, she's this nice little girl, she's meant to be really pretty, and she just dances around all colourful or something, she meets some dwarfs I think, " she scratched her head, "I haven't read it for ages, but her step-mother is like some evil queen and she poisons some apple, or something, and disguises herself and gives it to Snow White who falls into this coma that can only be broken if Prince Charming comes and kisses her," she rolled her eyes, "It's pretty lame, but he does and then she wakes up and they're all happy, I guess," she shrugged, "I can't remember what became of the evil queen though."

Regina nodded silently for a moment, "Well… she wanted her revenge so she cast a curse on the land and sent them to this world, without magic and without their memories," she swallowed hard, watching the expression on Emma's face change.

Emma didn't speak for a moment, "You're saying you're the evil queen? Regina, this is…" she paused and flinched when she felt the older woman's hand on her cheek.

"Sorry," Regina pulled away but Emma shook her head and so she reapproached, "I know… It's a lot to take in, but," she bit the corner of her lip before she shrugged, "It's my life." 

Emma nodded, looking thoughtful, "I don't think you're evil," was all she said before she abruptly closed the gap between the two women and pressing her lips against Regina's, feeling her hand drop down to her waist, fingers gripping the material of the older woman's shirt. She felt Regina's tongue lash out against her teeth and entangle itself with her own.

"Thank you," Regina whispered as she pulled away, "But you didn't know me then," she murmured, her face still inches away from the younger woman's.

Emma couldn't deny that; she didn't know Regina when she was…the evil queen. And in the fairy tale, the evil queen was pretty awful. She was vain and cruel and poisoned poor Snow White because she thought she was prettier than her. Emma supposed that was pretty evil. But…that wasn't Regina. She forced herself not to think about the things Regina had done, as the evil queen or even to her only recently. Emma shook her head viciously, emptying her head of those thoughts. She knew it wasn't…normal and maybe even not healthy, but the older woman did make her feel safe, something she'd never felt before.

"There's just one thing that I don't get, if you're the evil queen…" Emma mused, thoughtfully.

Regina narrowed her eyes, "What's that? Something else from your stories?"

Emma nodded, "Yep. In the stories, all the stories, the evil queen is always really ugly and horrible. That's why she's so jealous of Snow White for being so pretty. But," she tilted her head, a smile playing on her lips, "You're so beautiful and sexy and attractive and – " she stopped when Regina laughed.

"Well, I don't think your stories are all that accurate," she winked, a smirk on her face, "And thank you," she added, nibbling her bottom lip.

Emma shrugged, blushing slightly, "Not accurate at all. So… can you show me them?"

"What?" Regina asked.

"All the storybook…Oh!" Emma laughed, "Storybrooke, of course. Can you show me the characters? Who they all are in the town, I mean?"

Regina's expression was perplexed, "You want to meet the townsfolk?"

Emma nodded, "Yeah, but I want you to tell me which character's they're meant to be."

"Not 'meant to be' dear, they are. Or were, in the Enchanted Forest."

Emma's eyes widened once more, "Enchanted Forest? Is that where you bought everyone from?"

Regina nodded, "Yeah, that's where this whole town came from. Also, um, the town? They all know you already," she added quietly.  
Emma sighed, "You're a complicated woman, Regina Mills. Isn't it exhausting casting all these memory spells or whatever?"  
"Yes," Regina admitted, "It is. So you have to pretend you already - "  
"No," Emma cut in, "Take it away. I want to meet them for real," Emma ordered firmly, but softened by adding, "Please."

Regina thought about denying the request, but with all that she had put Emma through, she did sort of owe her, "Okay, I'll take it away. Can we go tomorrow though? I'll need time... Plus, I want to spend tonight with you. That is, if you want to stay," she added, trying but failing to keep the vulnerability out of her voice.

Emma's face lit up, "Of course I want to stay," she said eagerly, "And of course I want to spend the night with you," she added so enthusiastically that she immediately felt the heat rise up her cheeks.

Regina chuckled, "Oh, I see what you're thinking," she continued laughing, "I can't say the thought hasn't crossed my mind," her tongue flicked out quickly to wet her lips, "You are so adorable," she murmured, pulling the blonde closer.

"Aw man, adorable, really?" Emma whined, "I'm not a kid, you know."

Regina shook her head, the smirk not leaving her lips, "Mm, I know," she pulled Emma into her lap, "Cause you're damn sexy too, but I think you know that," she whispered as her hands found Emma's stomach, making quick work of her tank top as her teeth grazed over the skin on her collarbone.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thanks so much guys, didn't expect this kind of traffic at all, so thank you for reading and for reviewing too! Would love more reviews if you have anything to say! I did change the formatting a bit for the next few chapters so hope it makes it a bit easier to read! Open to any and all suggestions on story/formatting/anything, would love to know how you guys would like to see this story develop! **

Chapter 8.

Regina tried to rack her brain but she couldn't think of anything she had left out about the functioning of Storybrooke, the fact that time had stopped, that everybody other than her had no memory of the enchanted forest, that nobody had entered this town since a little boy and his father until now, Emma. She was sure she had missed something out; it was a complicated place but it was all she could think of for now, so eventually the two of them drifted into a sleep curled up next to one another.

"So, does that mean if I stay here, I won't ever age?" Emma mused as she got dressed the next morning.

Regina chuckled, "So many questions, dear. I don't know exactly, I don't know how some people manage to get over the town line, it's quite a mystery. You must be special," she smiled again, placing a hand on Emma's cheek and brushing it lightly with her fingers before pulling away and throwing her jacket on as Emma shrugged her own on.

The mayor had to admit she was a little nervous about taking the younger woman into town; not that she was afraid of what the townsfolk would think but she was afraid of what Emma would think of the town and of her cruelty, now that she would be putting names to faces of these fairy tale characters she seemed to have grown up reading about.

"That's little red riding hood?" Emma whispered, her eyes measuring up the waitress who was walking away from their table, "She's not very… Hm," she tilted her head to the side. 

"Are you checking her out?" Regina asked, a slight hint of jealousy creeping it's way into her voice, "It's Ruby here, by the way. Please don't call people by their…other names."

Emma switched her attention back to the mayor, "No, of course not," she retorted before shrugging, "But I mean she dresses like…" 

Regina rolled her eyes, "I know. She never used to, but everyone kind of changed a little since we arrived here," she shrugged before taking a sip of her coffee. 

Emma nodded, "And they really don't remember anything?" 

"No, they really don't," Regina sighed and the two of them went silent as Ruby bought them their food with an upbeat smile that never left her face and then disappeared, "But Emma," she persisted, "You must not call them by their – " 

"I know, I know," Emma cut in, waving her hand, "It's cool, I get it. What about her, who's she?" she nodded her head towards a pretty woman who had just entered and was leaning on the counter talking to Ruby quietly. 

Regina looked over her shoulder, trying to look inconspicuous, "Ah," she said, "That's Belle," she smiled as she turned back to Emma. 

"Belle…like beauty and the beast…" Emma mused, chuckling. 

Regina squinted an eye before nodding, "That fits quite well," she looked at Belle again, "She and Ruby are like…best friends or whatever." 

Emma couldn't help but notice that Regina's eyes had grown slightly darker, they did that sometimes, usually when… "Oh!" Emma exclaimed, before giggling, "Did you and Belle have a thing or something?" 

The brunette was shocked and her face showed it, she frowned, "Why would you say that?" 

Emma smirked, "Cause your eyes got all…dark when you talked about her, and that's how they get when I, when we…" she trailed off, biting her lip, "So I thought maybe you liked her,"  
Emma shrugged, "She is pretty cute." 

Regina blushed and then cursed herself for it, feeling the heat on her cheeks, "She is…not hard to look at," she confirmed. 

Emma's smile widened, "You're embarrassed," she noted. 

"Oh shut up," Regina snapped, but her lips threatened to curve upwards, "Are you done?"

Emma laughed silently, nodding as she took a final sip of her hot chocolate, "Yeah, sure."

_

"It's small," Emma observed as the two walked through the town, "I like it though, it's very…quaint, it's like something from – "

"A fairy tale?" Regina teased light heartedly, squeezing the young woman's hand. 

"Mm," Emma nodded, "Something like that, it's a nice place though. I like it here," she lent into the older woman and quickly kissed her on the cheek, "hey, in this…Enchanted Forest," she curled her tongue around the unfamiliar phrase, "Was there…um," she hesitated, feeling herself blush again, "homosexuality?"

"Sure," Regina replied lightly, "It wasn't really an issue like it is here. I mean, some people didn't like it, sure, but most people didn't have a problem. There weren't so many labels… you just liked who you liked," she shrugged.

Emma nodded, "Oh," she pondered for a moment, "But there aren't really any gay fairy tales," she pointed out.

Regina frowned, tilting her head to the right, "There aren't?" she replied in surprise, thinking for a moment, "Well…that's on this world's interpretation then, not ours, dear. I could tell you a story or two," she smiled.

Emma couldn't keep the curiosity out of her eyes and she nudged the other woman with her elbow gently, "Oh yeah? Tell me then," she prompted.

Regina laughed openly at the younger woman's shining eyes, "Well… you know those ladies from the diner – "

"The one you like – Belle?" Emma interrupted teasingly.

Regina glared at her playfully, "Yes, Belle. And her friend, Ruby. Well, before Belle was taken by…the beast, as you referred to him as, and fell in love with him, Rumplestiltskin by the way, they were…well, I don't know how serious it was, but they were certainly more than friends. I think it was quite casual," she finished.

Emma simply nodded.

Regina sniggered, "Now who's got the darkened eyes thing going on?"

The younger woman blushed and tried, failing, to glare at the brunette, "Shut up," she muttered, "It would not be hard…to look at," she giggled, throwing Regina's earlier words back at her, resulting in an eye roll, "I can see though, why you would like it here."

Regina frowned, "I only really like it since you have arrived, dear," she alleged quietly.  
"Really?" Emma questioned, "Why? Because you've been lonely? But these people, they seem so nice, I mean that Jiminy Cricket guy is maybe a bit overfriendly but – " 

Regina shook her head as she let a breath out, "They do seem nice. But… I guess I had more to do as the Evil Queen, here, being the mayor, it's nothing really," she shrugged. 

"But you're not Evil…not anymore," Emma squeezed the older woman's hand. 

Regina wanted to roll her eyes at the younger woman's naivety, "Perhaps," she simply agreed.

Emma nibbled on her bottom lip for a few moments in silence before she braved voicing her mind, "Will you ever give them back their memories?"

Regina frowned, looking at the blonde, "I haven't thought about it," she replied honestly.

Emma nodded, "Oh," she responded.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Regina asked, tightening her grip on Emma's hand unconsciously.

"No," Emma shook her head, "It's just…" she trailed off.

Regina analysed the other woman's expression concluding that Emma was scared, "Just what?" and when Emma shook her head and shrugged, "It's okay. You can speak your mind, Emma, I don't mind."

Emma smiled quickly, "It's just," she sighed, "They seem nice is all," she shrugged, "I mean, I know you have this history with Snow White that I can't even begin to understand… but what about the rest of them, do they really deserve…this?"

Regina knew she shouldn't be surprised; she'd told the young woman to speak her mind, but she hadn't been challenged like this in so long, it took her a moment to gather her thoughts, "They were all on her side. By punishing them, I punished Snow. She always put her people first, the saint that she was," she rolled her eyes, "So knowing that it was her fault – "

"But she doesn't know," Emma interjected, "Does she? She's just clueless, so she's not really being punished," she took a deep breath, "But you… You have all your memories, which are painful, so you're living with all your memories, whilst they're oblivious to the revenge you've taken, it just seems…backwards."

The brunette blinked slowly; she'd never thought about it like that, "So you would have me take my own memory away?"

Emma's throat made a frustrated noise as she threw her hands up, "No, Regina. You can't just edit people's memories and expect your pain to go away, life doesn't work like that," she didn't mean to sound as harsh as she did but on the other hand, maybe that's what Regina needed, "I think," she paused, treading carefully, "Well, I think everyone deserves to know where they came from," she finished quietly.

Regina rubbed her temples, "This is hurting my head. Can you give me some time to think about this? We can talk about it again later."

Emma nodded, "Okay," she continued nervously, "Are…we okay?"

Regina's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Of course we are, honey. I like that you challenge me," she smiled warmly at the other woman, "But this subject is… difficult for me. I've never really dissected it the way you just did, I just need some processing time."

Emma squeezed her hand, nodding.  
_

A small, brunette woman, dressed modestly approached the two woman as they reached the mayor's street. Regina sighed, and Emma noted that she looked irritated at the appearance of this particular woman.

"This is Mary Margaret, she is a teacher at the local school," Regina said with a hint of coldness in her voice.

The woman seemed insecure, with her eyes constantly flickering around, but she held out her hand to shake Emma's hand, "Nice to meet you," she said nervously and her eyes rested on the younger woman's face for a few seconds, she frowned and opened her mouth again, "Have we…met before? You look familiar." 

Emma quickly looked at Regina before she shook her head, "No," she replied, "I don't think so." 

"Are you sure?" Mary Margaret persisted, "I could swear…" she trailed off, "You just look like…I don't know... someone." 

"If she says she's never met you, dear," Regina interjected in a low, almost threatening voice. 

Emma's head snapped to the older woman in confusion, "Regina, it's fine – " 

"We should get going," Regina took Emma's hand with a little more force than usual and nodded to Mary Margaret as she pushed past her, rather rudely, Emma thought, but she followed the older woman, giving a quick nod and grimace to the school teacher, almost jogging to keep up with Regina and still trying to figure out what the hell had her so tightly wound.

"What was all that about?" Emma asked, as Regina pulled her away.

Regina shrugged, "That was Snow White...I just don't like her," she lied; of course that was true, but she also hadn't liked that Snow had recognised Emma. She'd messed with a lot of memories lately, she hoped nothing was coming undone when she'd just got things like she liked it.

"She kind of looked familiar to me too... But that can't be possible, right?" Emma frowned; she hadn't been in town since the night she crashed, she hadn't met anyone from the town other than Regina, who, right now was looking as pale as a ghost, "Regina? What is it?"

"I just...figured something out," she breathed, "It all makes sense now."


	9. More Truth

Chapter 9.

"I'm what?" Emma questioned in disbelief, her head swimming.  
Regina closed her eyes for a moment before reopening them and meeting the blonde's own, swallowing hard before she whispered, "Snow White's daughter."

_**Moments earlier…**_

"Figured out what?" Emma asked breathlessly, jogging to keep up with the older woman and slipping her hand back into Regina's in a fruitless effort to slow her down.  
Regina shook her head, wordlessly, clearly battling something internally, but battling what, Emma had no idea.  
"That was Snow White?" Emma continued, trying to make some semblance out of the situation.  
Regina snapped her eyes to the younger woman for a moment, sighing "Mary Margaret," she answered monotonously. Emma could see it in her eyes; when she retreated back into her thoughts and still pulling Emma along faster than her legs liked.

Well, Snow White. That made things a little clearer; Emma knew the two women had an unpleasant history. At least, that explained that cold edge Regina's voice had taken on earlier, but why was it getting to her so much? And how had the school teacher somehow recognised her? Had Regina's magic somehow failed? It had seemed to work on everyone else that they had encountered that day; nobody else had recognised Emma, and Emma hadn't recognised any of them. Why was this woman different?

"Regina…," Emma started, hesitating, "What's going on? Did something go wrong with the spell? Is that why she could remember me? Is that why – "  
"Please, just shut up for a moment, Emma," Regina snapped, immediately regretting how harsh she had sounded but returning to her silence as she pulled the other woman up the driveway, only letting go to dig around in her bag for her keys and open the door. Regina threw her bag down and lent against the wall.

Emma chewed the inside of cheek for a moment, unsure of where she stood or what to do. She wanted to comfort the woman but she really looked like she needed her space. She decided to busy herself by making a cup of tea, giving Regina some time to compose herself. She didn't understand what was happening but she could see in Regina's eyes that she was in the room, but she wasn't really present. She was deep in the abyss of her own mind, thinking about god knows what, and Emma just had to trust that the older woman would talk to her when she had figured it out herself.

Regina was rubbing her temples, trying to compose herself. She took a deep breath and pulled her slumped body away from the wall and over to where Emma was now sitting in the arm chair, sipping a cup of coffee. She was so patient, Regina thought sadly, as she bent down in front of her, taking the coffee out of her hands and placing it on the table behind her. She couldn't help cupping the blonde's cheek with her hand, running her thumb over pale skin slowly.

"Are you okay?" the concern was evident, almost heart-breaking in Emma's voice as she leaned into the hand on her cheek whilst still nibbling her bottom lip.  
Regina's shoulders dropped; this was about to get very complicated, "I don't know, honey," she replied sadly.  
Emma let her teeth release her lip, "What is it? Is it your magic, did it wear off – "  
Regina put a hand up to silence the younger woman, and shook her head, "The magic is fine," she pulled her hand away from Emma's face, with the intention of breaking all physical contact with the other woman but Emma quickly took her hand and ran her fingers over her upturned palm. Regina had broken eye contact too, until Emma next spoke and she forced herself to meet the younger woman's forest green eyes, and once she had, she couldn't have looked away if she'd wanted to.  
Emma frowned, "So how…?"  
Regina swallowed, "You're her daughter," she barely whispered.  
"I'm what?" Emma questioned in disbelief, her head swimming.  
Regina closed her eyes for a moment before reopening them and meeting the blonde's own, swallowing hard before she whispered, "Snow White's daughter."


	10. Overload

Chapter 10.

Emma went from one extreme to the other; she had been speechless for minutes on end and then burst into a rant, all of her thoughts rushing out of her mouth too quickly for her to edit, "That's not possible," she started, "I've never been to this Enchanted Forest, I'm not a part of this fairy tale world, Regina. You know I was coming from Boston, I just got here, how can I be her daughter? She's hardly any older than me – "

"Do you know your biological mother?" Regina asked quietly, already sure of the answer.

Emma stopped talking, she shook her head, "But that doesn't mean I'm Snow White's daughter. I was abandoned on the side of a highway," she shrugged, "They never found my real parents, but that happens with heaps of abandoned kids, I bet."

"Emma – " Regina tried to speak calmly, but Emma was reaching levels of hysteria now as she stood up.

"No, don't. Just stop," she said loudly, her hands shaking, "You messed with my memories, you took my heart, I didn't care. I let you get away with all that, but this? You can't…" she shook her head, trying to clear her head, "This is too much," she tried to take a deep breath and swallowed hard, "You can't… I'm not from your world. Why do you need me to be? I thought we were okay."

Regina's shoulders dropped as her eyes closed, "I don't need you to be, not at all. But twenty eight years ago I cast this curse… and your parents, they put you in this magical wardrobe to send you away, to keep you safe. That's how you ended up on the side of the highway, that's why nobody could find your parents. It makes sense."

"No," Emma said steadily, "That does not make sense. Are you listening to yourself? This is…" she continued to shake her head, "I'm going for a walk, this is just ridiculous."

Regina's voice was higher than she meant it to be in panic, "Emma, please, stay, let me explain this – "

"No. I've lived my whole life knowing my parents didn't want me, you can't just come in and say…" she trailed off, "Just no. I'm leaving, I'll…come back later, when I'm ready."

And with that she left a dejected looking Regina and walked out the door, arms crossed as she power walked down the street. She didn't even know where to go in this stupid town, she thought angrily, was there even a bar here? Did fairy tale characters drink? All of a sudden, this whole thing was too much. Why did Regina have to bring her parents into it?

She'd accepted a long time ago that her parents had abandoned her and never tried to track her down, that she was unwanted and that was just fine by her. Or at least, she had buried the pain deep enough to pretend it was. She didn't need some crazy explanation to why her parents had sent her away, and a fucking fairy tale? Snow White? Maybe she was going insane and this was all some facet of her mind. Maybe Regina wasn't even real, she felt a pang in her heart when she thought that the woman she had these deep, if confusing, feelings for was just a figment of her imagination.

She was so lost in her own thoughts she wasn't even looking where she was going, and if she had been her eyes would have been so blurred from the tears she wouldn't have seen the woman before she crashed into her anyway.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, blinking quickly, frustrated that a couple of tears had snuck their way out of her eyes.

"That's okay, I was texting, my fault," the brunette from the diner smiled at her shyly, pocketing her phone.

Emma nodded and made to move on.

"Are you okay?" she asked, looking at the face Emma was obviously trying to hide.

Emma nodded, wiping her face quickly, "I'm fine. It's um Belle, right?"

Belle looked surprised, "Yeah, that's right. I saw you around town today, you're new to town, right?"

The blonde nodded, "Yeah, I'm staying with Regina."

"Oh," Belle sounded surprised, "That's nice," she went on, "I don't think I've ever known her to have a visitor before, are you family?"

"Oh, no. We just met recently," that was a simplified rendition of things, Emma thought.

Belle nodded, "Do you like it here?"

Emma could have laughed, not knowing how to answer that, "It's quite nice," was what she went with, "Is there a bar around?"

Belle smiled understandingly, "Well of course, that's where I'm heading to meet my friend, Ruby. You should come along if you like. It's a pretty low key kind of place but it's nice."

Emma considered; she should return to Regina… but a couple of drinks wouldn't hurt, "Um, sure. I won't stay long, I should get back and I wouldn't want to intrude."

Belle beamed, "You're not intruding, we like new people. We never get anyone pass through town, so you can tell us all your adventures out in… Where are you from?"

"Well, I just came from Boston," Emma replied as the two began walking through the town.

Regina put her head in her hands, had she just ruined everything? Emma had looked so…upset, confused, hurt. The mayor knew she was right but maybe she should have just let sleeping dogs lie, but how could she claim to love Emma and keep such a huge secret from her?

Everybody deserved to know their family, and Emma's were right across town. It just had to be her, it made sense. It had been twenty eight years, and Emma was one of the very few people to cross the town line. Snow and Charming had sent their baby away to return twenty eight years later and break the evil queen's curse; everybody knew that.

It made perfect sense. Now she just needed a way to prove that to Emma, now that she had opened this can of worms. And then what? She couldn't think about that right now, she took a long and shaky breath, one step at a time, she thought, or this would just become way too overwhelming.

She looked at the clock, it was getting dark and Emma was still out. Should she go and look for her? Maybe she should give the woman her space. What if she ran away and didn't come back? It was that thought that had Regina grab her car keys and head out the door.

"Bail bonds… Like a bounty hunter? That sounds fun," Ruby said enthusiastically.

Emma shrugged, "It's okay, I guess."

"So how did you end up in Storybrooke?" Belle asked as she set some more drinks down on the table, "It's a pretty far cry from the street's of Boston, I bet."

The blonde nodded, "I was just…passing through but I decided I'd stay a while…but now… I don't know, I may leave soon."

"Oh," Belle nodded, "Small town, it must feel pretty lacklustre compared to the city."

"Well, it's not that. It's actually quite refreshing, I like it here," she took another long drink before shrugging, "I wish I could stay," she muttered causing Ruby and Belle to exchange simultaneous frowns.

"Why can't you? Do you have someone waiting for you in Boston?" Ruby guessed with a wolfish grin, though from the sullen expression on the other woman's face she was guessing it was something more serious.

Emma shrugged as she stood up, "Refills?" she asked, ignoring the question.

Belle shook her head, holding up her half-full glass, "No…thanks," she replied as Ruby held up her glass too, shaking her head as Emma walked over to the bar.

"What do you think?" Ruby asked, tilting her head with a slight frown on her face.

Belle pulled a face, "I don't know, I guess it isn't really our business Rubes," but she couldn't pretend she wasn't curious, or concerned too but then her attention was bought to the mayor who had just walked through the doors, scanning the bar for Emma.

"Emma," a quiet voice sounded behind her as she felt a brush on her arm and turned around.

"Regina," she sighed, "What are you doing here?" she questioned as she took an unsteady step away from the bar.

Regina frowned, "You're drunk," she stated as she rubbed her temples.

"A little tipsy," Emma shrugged, "I'm fine, I just needed to…" she trailed off.

"Honey, I'm sorry. I should have…I don't know, told you a little more sensitively…" Regina started, losing her confidence mid-sentence.

"It's not how you told me, Regina, it's what you told me," Emma took a sip of her drink but Regina pulled it away from her, "What are you – "

"Please, this is the truth, Emma. I wouldn't tell you this if I didn't believe it," Regina realised she was pleading, something so unlike her, but she needed the younger woman to look at her the way she did before she'd ever mentioned this whole thing, "Please, Emma. I can show you."

"Show me?" Emma echoed, her scepticism wavering; she didn't like fighting with Regina but this idea…it still seemed ridiculous to me.

Regina nodded, "I know how I can show you, I just need you to give me a chance," she whispered.

Emma closed her eyes, thinking for a moment, "Okay…Okay, let's just go home, I need to sleep anyway," she muttered.

Regina placed a hand on the other woman's cheek, forgetting that Ruby and Belle, not to mention the rest of the bar had been watching them curiously and not at all discreetly, "Yes, you do," she smiled a little, "Your eyes are all droopy, dear," she paused, "It's kind of cute though," she whispered as she took Emma's hand and led her home. 


	11. It's Time

Chapter 11.

Emma merely grumbled a muffled goodnight as she crashed herself onto the pillow which felt like heaven on her pounding head, her eyes fluttering close dopily, only mildly aware of a hand sweeping through her hair and the quiet groan she let out in response; she did love the way Regina did that, she thought, before she drifted off to sleep before Regina's hand even made it to her cheek.

Regina smiled and bent down to press her lips against the sleeping woman's cheek before standing up, turning the light off on the way out as she closed the bedroom door. She could feel herself shaking and attempted to calm herself down, pouring herself a whiskey with her trembling hands.

What she was about to do went against her very nature and quite honestly, she couldn't believe she was considering it. Who would have ever known that when she had rescued the younger woman from her car that night the impact that Emma would have on her. She had never thought she would, or even that she could care about anyone that way again.

She followed the steps down into her basement, closing and locking the door behind her. She didn't even know if this would work, the strength she had put into this curse was a formidable opponent; she knew she was the only one who could break it.

She laughed upon thinking that, it wasn't her that would break it at all, it hit her, it was Emma. She really was breaking the curse and she didn't even know it. Emma had turned up, twenty eight years later, and unknowingly the Evil Queen had fallen in love with her enemy's daughter... And it was that... true love, that would break the curse. Who ever would have thought?

And so with a pinch of this and an ounce of that, she made a simple potion. Simple, at least, until the last vital ingredient were added.

She closed her eyes, gritted her teeth and, well there was no gentle way to do this, she knew, so she threw her hand inside her chest, unable to hold a gasp of pain back; so this was what it felt like she thought, her vision blurring as she pulled her hand out holding her heart.

She had only done this once before, a long time ago, after her first kill to see how dark it had made her heart, but now...now it was so much darker, though there was a beaming red light in the center that seemed to radiate, and Regina knew just where that had come from. With a thumb and forefinger she took the smallest pinch of her own heart that she could and added it to the potion.

Then, with just as much pain as taking it out, she slipped her heart back into chest, unable to quench the whimper of pain that escaped her throat. But just like that, the pain was gone.

It wasn't a dark and purple haze this time and it wasn't slow either. It was just an enthusiastic pulse that swept across the whole Storybrooke, making the air feel somehow fresher, crisper and by this time of night most of the town was asleep, but there was sure to be havoc in the morning, Regina knew, and probably a very angry mob at her door. Which was why she needed to go and see Snow, now.

Regina quickly checked in on Emma, who was still sleeping peacefully spread out on her bed; she would probably be out for a while yet, Regina figured but still, she knew she had to act as quickly as she could though she'd give anything to procrastinate this day for a while longer. She quickly scribbled a note just in case Emma did wake up and left it on the kitchen counter; _Trust me_, it said, _just wait for me._

She knew this was her only chance as even possibly keeping Emma Swan in her life. She grabbed her coat as she headed out of the mayor and climbed into her car, giving herself one last pep talk before turning the ignition and reversing out of the driveway. 

Snow was jerked awake by a violent banging on her door, and it didn't take her long to wake up once the memories of the Enchanted Forest flooded through her mind. Charming, she thought, it must be and she jumped out of her bed, not bothering to pull on her dressing gown, in her silk pyjamas and swung the front door open with a giant smile on her face that quickly vanished as her expression darkened.

"Regina," she breathed coldly, her voice matching the anger in her eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Just a quick one, sorry if it slips between 'mum' and 'mom', I'm Australian but I know most of my audience is American so I'm trying to get used to writing 'mom', I think I did pretty well! Also, you'll notice I do take some liberty's with certain parts of the curse (more apparent in later chapters) and some characters involvement or non-involvement, so if you can just roll with it and enjoy! **

Chapter 12

"What are you doing here?" Snow questioned incredulously, "How can you have the nerve to turn up here after everything you've done?"

Regina pursed her lips, "If you'd shut up, I would tell you," she started aggressively, before sighing; she knew she had to keep her temper if she was going to get anything from Snow, "I – "

"You cursed all of us," Snow interjected quietly, "Split everyone up. Charming and I sent her daughter…" she stopped as realisation clouded her eyes, "Emma," she breathed, fixing the mayor with a withering stare, "Where is she?"

"That's why I'm here," Regina gritted her teeth, "I-I tried to tell her that you were her mother, but she won't believe me."

Snow threw up her hands, "Well, how could she? She knows nothing of the enchanted forest, I'm practically the same age as her - "

Regina shook her head, "She knows about magic," she interrupted, "She knows about the curse."

Snow blinked rapidly, "Excuse me?" she said, "She knows about magic? What the hell have you done? She is my daughter. You will never, ever see her again," she made to move past Regina who blocked her way through the front door.

"Don't you think that's up to her?" Regina asked, coldly.

"Why would she want – "

"Because we've been in a relationship ever since she got to town," Regina snapped, "I didn't even know who she was – "

"You expect me to believe that?" Snow shouted back; this was the worst of situations; but she could fix it, couldn't she? She would talk to Emma, tell her who Regina really was and bring her home, at last.

"Do you really think I would have actually wanted to be with your daughter?" Regina spat, "I don't need any more connections to you than I already have."

"She will not want to be with you when she knows who you are – "

Regina laughed coldly, "She does know. You are the one who doesn't. You haven't seen her since she was two weeks old; _you_ don't know her," she ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head, "She won't believe you if you just march on over there claiming to be her mother."

-

Emma woke up with a throbbing headache, heading to the bathroom to splash some water on her face before going into the kitchen. On the way to the fridge, she saw a note on the bench, picking it up she read and re-read it quickly, sighing as she placed it down; of course, she trusted Regina. Didn't she? She flopped down on the couch, what was she waiting for anyway?

She turned the tv on, flicking through the channels but nothing could really grab her attention. She just had those words echoing through her head; Snow White and mother. Mary Margaret, that teacher who could hardly be a couple of years older than her... But she knew about the curse, that time had stopped. She'd seen Regina do magic, that was no doubting it existed but this…that she was born in that world of magic, that was on a whole other level.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Charming asked as he barged past Regina, who still stood in the open doorway and made his way next to Snow as the two shared a quick kiss before he turned back to Regina, "Don't you think you've done enough?"

"Apparently not," Snow muttered, before speaking louder, "She has our daughter."

Charming took a step towards the evil queen, "What the hell does that mean? You let her go, or I swear – "

"I'm not holding her against her will," Regina replied coldly.

Charming looked at Snow, confused, "What is she talking about?"

Snow bit her tongue for a moment, "She says they've been…seeing each other."

Charming's eyebrows shot up as he switched his gaze back to Regina, "What the hell have you done to her? She would never – "

Regina threw her arms up, "You two idiots! You think you know her but you haven't seen her since she was two weeks old – "

"And whose fault is that?" Charming cut in.

Regina waved a hand dismissively, "I know her. Anyway, i just want you to prove to her who you are, her parents. I tried, but she won't believe me," she didn't feel the need to mention that this meant that Emma was doubting their relationship since Regina had dropped this bombshell.

"Why would you even want her to know that?" Charming asked suspiciously, still positioned between the two women.

"Because when you were…cursed, they," she waved a hand towards Snow, "they recognised each other. She had questions," she shrugged, "And she _has_ questions. To why her parents abandoned her and never tried to find her. She's…a little lost," she finished, resigned.

Snow's expression softened slightly, though she still frowned, "You actually care about her," she said quietly as Charming turned to look at her, "And here I was thinking your heart was as black as the magic you use."

"Snow," Charming moved towards his wife, "Don't let her deceive you. She doesn't care about anyone but herself, especially _our_ daughter."

Snow looked into his eyes, before looking back at Regina, "I'm not saying I like it, and I am not saying we will not take her away from her, but look at her," she nodded her towards Regina, "I've never seen her fight so hard for something that wasn't selfish," she pushed him aside gently, "How can we prove it? How can we meet our daughter?"


	13. Meeting The Parents

**A/N: Just a note that I'm going on holiday in a couple of days for about just over a week. Hopefully, I get the chance to update while I'm away (I have the next few chapters prepared), but if not, I apologise for the delay and will update the moment I get back! Loving the reviews and messages, so keep them coming! Thanks for reading!**

Chapter 13.

It was still the early hours of the morning and Emma had fallen back to sleep watching, but not really watching, the television. It was this sight that greeted Snow, Charming and Regina as the door opened. Snow stared at the young woman as though transfixed, not even feeling Charming squeeze her hand as she laid eyes on her daughter for the first time, really, in twenty eight years. She took a step forward, but Regina put out a warning hand.

"Let me," she ordered, "You can't just wake her up and try to tell her you're her mom. Just let me talk to her, you can wait in the dining room," she waved a hand in the direction of the dining room.

Charming took a step forward this time but Snow held him back, "She's right," she said quietly, "She's asleep. We don't want to scare her off. She already knows Regina," this last sentence was filled with a mix of fear but reluctant acceptance. Charming nodded and grudgingly followed his wife through the halls of the mayor's mansion.

Regina knelt beside Emma, running a hand through her blonde mane as she stirred slowly.

"Regina," she mumbled, "Hey," she began to sat up.

"Hey," the brunette smiled sadly, "I'm glad to find you still here."

Emma nodded, "I do trust you," she rubbed her eyes as she yawned, "I just…I don't know about all this Snow White being my mom stuff, it's – "

"I know… It seems crazy to you, i shouldn't have sprung it on you the way I did. It's just…you asked me about why she recognised you and I…" Regina paused, screwing her nose up slightly, "I don't like to lie to you," she finished quietly.

Emma smiled as she put a hand on Regina's cheek, "You're sweet," she whispered.

Regina bit her bottom lip, "Not a word most people would associate the evil queen with," she responded.

"You're not the evil queen anymore though," Emma protested and stopped suddenly, listening attentively as she turned her head, "Is there someone here?" she asked, turning back to the mayor.

Regina took a deep breath, "I…I broke the curse," she stuttered, annoyed at herself; she never stuttered, "To…to prove to you that your mother…"

"Is Snow White," Emma finished the other woman's sentence, wide eyed, "You…you broke the curse? So everyone remembers…everything?" her eyebrows met as she came to a realisation, "Hang on, is that…Is she here?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

Regina nodded and put a hand on the younger woman's jawline, stroking it slowly, "Yes. Your mother and your father – "

Emma stood up and felt the blood rush through her body, "Regina, I can't…" she trailed off for a moment, "You said, before, you could prove it?"

Regina nodded and held her hand out to the blonde, "Are you ready to meet your parents?"

Emma looked apprehensively as she chewed the inside of her lip, staring at the woman in front of her. Regina really believed what she was saying, she wasn't making it up and Emma knew she would never outright lie to her. If the curse was broken…maybe there was something to this. She looked into Regina's misty eyes, blinking slowly before she put her hand in Regina's, who curled her fingers around Emma's and began leading her through the mansion but Emma tugged at her hand.

Regina turned around, questioning in her eyes that was quickly answered when the younger woman threw herself into her chest. Regina rested a hand in her hair; of course, she realised how huge an event like meeting your parents for the first real time was, and this situation? With the magic and the complications, it must be almost impossible for Emma to get her head around.

"Are you okay?" she whispered into Emma's hair.

Emma nodded as she disentangled herself from the older woman, "I don't know," she replied honestly, "Just stay with me, please?"

Regina nodded, "Of course, dear."

Snow and Charming both stood as Emma entered the room.

"Emma," Snow breathed, approaching the young woman.

Emma took a step back, "Hi," she said, "Look this whole thing – "

"Must seem crazy to you," Snow said gently, "But twenty eight years ago Charming and I," she gestured to her husband and held out her hand, which he took as he stepped forward, "put you in a magical wardrobe that transported you to this world…to escape the curse," her eyes flickered over to Regina who was unusually quiet, "Here," she handed Emma a blanket.

Emma frowned and turned the blanket over in her hands, her eyes widening as she saw her name _Emma _stitched into the material. She ran her fingers lightly across the lettering before looking up at Snow. Her face really did seem familiar, more so with the longer she stared.

"Mom," she half choked on the word as the other woman pulled her into her arms, feeling Emma shake beneath her. Charming put an arm around the two of them, planting a kiss on top of her daughters head for the first in decades.

"Honey, we are so sorry. We thought it was for the best," Snow whispered as their embrace ended, "The Evil Queen…Regina," again her eyes flickered to the woman standing in the corner of the room, "She put a curse on us. The only way you could escape it – "

"Was to send me away… I know all about the curse," Emma interjected, looking over her shoulder at Regina and giving her a small smile.

Snow and Charming exchanged worried glances.

Charming took charge this time, "Emma, I don't know what she has told you, but back in our land she was – "

"The Evil queen," Emma interjected again, "I know. And I know what she did to you," she said to Snow, "And to all the people in the Enchanted Forest. I know she was some kind of…tyrant or whatever, but she's not that here. It's been twenty eight years… She's a good person. People change."

The couple couldn't pretend not to be taken aback by their daughter talking about the Enchanted Forest.

"You know, " Snow started, "I have a spare room at my loft…"

Emma shook her head, taking a step backwards, "No. No. You haven't been in my life for twenty eight years, for whatever reason, you can't just come in now and … I'm raised. I'm twenty eight, I don't need… I have somewhere to stay. With Regina," she gestured to the woman beside her.

Snow shook her head, eyeing Regina off with a look that could kill, "What have you done with her? She would never be interested in a monster like you of her own free will."

Emma rolled her eyes, "She hasn't done anything to me. I mean, other than take care of me and break a curse I don't think she ever planned on breaking so that I could meet my…you," she shrugged.

Snow squinted at the other woman; it was true, Regina _had_ broken the curse for seemingly selfless reasons, "It can't be that simple," she said slowly, looking at her husband, "She never does anything without selfish reasons."

Regina cleared your throat, "You're right," she finally entered the conversation as all three turned to stare at her, "I suppose it was selfish," she continued, "Emma might have left this place if I hadn't told her that her parents were here… and now I suspect she will stay, and I hope…that she will stay for more than just…you," the older woman shifted uncomfortably; not at all used to baring her soul the way she just had.

Emma bit her bottom lip for as long as she could before she approached the brunette, "I want to stay," she whispered.

This time Snow cleared her throat, taking a step towards the two women now standing together, "Emma, why don't you stay with us, just while we…figure things out?"

Emma didn't get to reply before she felt Regina's arm around her shoulder and her cold voice echo into the room, "She will stay here, it's what she wants."

"We know the real you, Regina," Charming spoke up, "And if you think we're going to let her – "

"She's twenty eight, dear and she doesn't even know you."

"And how long has she known you for?" Snow snapped back.

"A little over a month, which is a long time in comparison to two weeks as a baby," Regina spoke icily, tightening her grip on Emma's shoulder.

Snow frowned; their daughter had been in town for over a month; then why did they only meet the other day?

"We're her parents, Regina," Charming asserted.

Emma shrugged Regina's hand from her shoulder and said in anger, "Guys, I'm right here," stopping the three arguing parties as they stopped and looked at her, slightly ashamed, "And Regina's right, I'm twenty eight, I don't need you, or her, or anyone making decisions for me. Snow White," it felt weird to say but not as weird as 'mom' would sound, Emma figured, "and…Charming," she muttered, feeling stupid, "or whatever you like to be called, you're my parents. I understand that…and I accept that.

Kind of," she shook her head, "But I'm with Regina, and I'm going to keep staying here. I mean, it's not one or the other, is it? Because you're my parents and I want to spend time with you… but you don't really have the right to tell me who I can and can't see. I mean," she turned to Regina, "Is it the gay thing? Because, it's not that unusual here – "

Snow held up a hand, "No, honey, it's nothing about sexuality. That exists everywhere, including the Enchanted Forest," she shook her head, "It's a non-issue. It's just," she thought about continuing to fight but she could see it wasn't going to get her anywhere, not right now anyway.

She sighed, "You're right. You're a grown woman, and I am so sorry we didn't get to see that happen. You stay wherever you want, and when you want to talk, you just let us know," she finished gently, "We love you," she stepped towards the blonde tentatively.

The blonde nodded; glad she could stop fighting and stepped forward into her mother's waiting arms, "I know," she whispered, "I guess I spent a lot of time hating you," she replied honestly, seeing the other woman flinch, "But now… Well, I guess we all get a second chance," she attempted to smile.


	14. An Angry Mob

Chapter 14.

Regina observed the younger woman carefully; she seemed okay, she was just watching the television on the couch. Was that a normal reaction to finally meeting your fairy tale parents? Regina sighed; she didn't really know what was normal anymore.

"Here, made you a coco," she smiled, handing the hot drink to the blonde.

Emma smiled, "Thanks," she replied, blowing on it gently and putting it down as she waited for it to cool, aware of Regina's eyes on her, she looked up, "I'm okay," she answered the unspoken question.

Regina nodded, "Good… I'm sorry if I got a little…possessive, with your parents. I didn't mean to treat you like a child, or a possession…"

Emma shrugged, "I know, you were scared of losing me."

Sometimes Regina forgot how well Emma knew her, "Mm, you're so insightful," she put a hand in blonde hair, "I usually run from people like that."

Emma bit her bottom lip, "You don't need to run from me," she leant forward and placed a kiss on plump lips before leaning back and pulling the brunette on top of her.

"Now?" Regina asked, raising her eyebrows.

Emma nodded, "Yeah, unless you don't want – "

Regina pulled Emma's shirt open, "Oh no, I want," she grinned.

"Are we really going to leave her with Regina?" Charming asked, following Snow in with the last of the boxes of his belongings. They'd decided they wouldn't sleep so they may as well move David in through the night.

"Charming," Snow sighed, "For now…we're just going to have trust her."

"With our daughter? It's been twenty eight years and she doesn't even want to spend any time with us?" the hurt was clear in his eyes.

"She needs time, I guess," Snow couldn't disguise the hurt in her voice either, "Anyway, it's sun rise, the town will be awake soon and there are going to be a lot of questions. We should get to the town square."

"You're right," Charming managed a smile, "This is going to get complicated. They're going to want Regina's blood, you know that?"

"Well, we're going to have to convince them otherwise," Snow found herself saying.

"Always seeing the best in people," Charming smiled, putting his arms around his wife, "Though I guess we have different reasons this time," he kissed her on top of her head, "Still, we will have our work cut out for us."

"I say, we go over there right now and face her head on," Leroy claimed, the rest of the dwarves shouting their support in unison.

"Let's go," even the mild-mannered Archie, was riled up.

"Okay, everyone," Charming took a stance, "We've got every right to be angry at Regina, but before we storm over there – "

"She cast a curse on us and took away our memories…for twenty eight years," Ruby exclaimed, Belle and Rumple by her side.

"This is true, this is all true," Snow said, raising her hands to silence the crowd, "But why don't we – "

"No, no second chances. Don't you think you've given enough of those Snow?"

"I must agree with the rest of the town, Regina did steal twenty eight years from us, don't you think she deserves to feel a bit of – "

"Not your kind of punishment, Rumple. That would just be sinking to her level," Snow replied, crisply.

Rumple shrugged as he lent on his cane, "Well, we can take turns, I suppose," he grinned that worrying grin as Belle clung onto his arm, shaking her head disapprovingly until he shrugged, looking resigned.

Emma woke up first, slowly and pulled the blanket over the two women's body as she shivered and nuzzled into Regina's chest, breathing in her scent.

A moment later, she felt Regina's hand travel through her hair gently.

"Mm," Emma groaned sleepily, "Nice."

Regina chuckled, "You smell so sweet," she whispered, drowning her face in blonde curls and breathing in that sweet scent that she'd grown to love so much.

Then there was a bang at the door, and it wasn't a polite, cordial kind of knock. Regina sighed, standing up and quickly throwing the clothes she had discarded on the floor before slipping her heels on and making her hair presentable.

Another angry mob, she had dealt with many of these before, it really wasn't anything new to the Evil Queen. She glanced at Emma though, who was biting her nails and looking to her for guidance.

"Hey," she said gently, "It's okay, I'll deal with this dear. You don't need to worry," she approached the blonde and put a hand under her chin, "Stay here, okay? I will sort this out," she finished confidently.

Emma nodded and watched the other woman exit the room, listening to the clicking of her heels down the hallway.

It was only a few moments of angry yelling and harsh words until the blonde stood up and ran to the door just as Regina had her arms raised at the angry mob.

"No, don't," Emma pulled at her arms, "No more magic," she pleaded.

Charming made it to the forefront of the crowd, "Guys stop, come on. The last thing we need is another war on our hands."

"And you don't think we'll have one with her living here?" Leroy growled angrily.

"No," Emma spoke up, addressing the crowd for the first time, speaking with more confidence than she really felt, "There isn't going to be any war. We don't – "

"Who the hell are you anyway?" one of the dwarves asked.

Snow sprung to action and ran protectively in front of her daughter, "Hey," she said, and when nobody listened a little louder, "Hey, you want to know who this is?" she gestured to her daughter as the crowd went silent, all eyes on Snow White and Emma, "This is our daughter," she revealed, taking one of Emma's hands in her own, "She made it back to us," she smiled, "This is a good thing…a great thing."

After the gasps, a silence washed over the town for a few moments; could it really be possible? The baby that was sent away in a magical wardrobe twenty eight years ago was the newcomer to town. The newcomer who the evil queen had been parading around town? Had she broken the curse as predicted?

"Then why is she with her?" another towns member pointed at Regina.

"It's…complicated," Snow replied, "But it's okay," she said to a frowning crowd, "Because she _is_ the saviour and she wouldn't be with Regina if there wasn't some kind of…good in her," it was a revelation to herself as she said it, but as soon as she did she knew it to be true, "Emma broke the curse, albeit in a…confusing kind of way," she frowned, "But she did and we owe her our lives for that."

Ruby and Belle exchanged whispers, finishing in Ruby muttering, "Complicated," under her breath.

"Please, I know you all want to tear Regina apart right now, but…can't we turn this into a celebration instead? A new beginning? For everyone," Snow suggested as Charming wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

After a little more debate and unhappy mumblings, the crowd dissipated and left Snow White, Charming, Emma and Regina standing awkwardly on the front step of the mansion.


	15. Not Quite To Plan

Chapter 15.

"So where do we go from here?" Charming asked practically, breaking the silence that hung between the four.

"Well, I suppose that depends on what you're referring to," Regina crossed her arms, "Magic is back and I suppose the town will be looking to you for answers. What now, where now? Do you go back to the Enchanted Forest – "

"Is that even possible?" Snow narrowed her eyes at Regina.

Regina shrugged, "Not immediately, but I may be able to figure something out. I don't know," it was rare for the evil queen to sound so unsure of herself.

Emma felt like a child listening to the adults talk and it frustrated her, "What if I don't want to go back to this Enchanted Forest? I mean, I get it for you guys – it's your home. But I've never even been there, well not since I was a baby, I have no memories there, I don't know… And now I just find you and you're going to leave me?" she didn't mean to sound as petulant as she did but she couldn't help it; it was how she felt.

"Emma," Snow replied gently, stepping closer to her daughter and resting a hand on her arm, "We will never leave you. I just need to know…for everyone else if it's possible. But if you choose to stay here, in this world, then we," she looked at Charming who nodded, "will stay here with you. We're a family."

Emma nodded unsurely, "Right. But I mean, someone has to be their ruler… and if you three stay here…," she looked at Regina and faltered, "I mean, I assume…Regina, I didn't…"

Regina smiled, "I will go wherever you go, darling," she said, running a finger over Emma's cheek, "Besides nobody wants the return of the evil queen," she shrugged.

Emma smiled back, "So if we don't… I don't want to force anyone to stay in a world they're not comfortable in."

Snow sighed, "Honey, why don't we talk to the rest of the town before we start worrying about this stuff?"

Charming nodded, "Anyway, I know there's a lot going on right now, but we would love the chance to sit down with you and have a somewhat normal conversation?"

Regina looked at the ground uncomfortably; she knew she couldn't stop Emma getting to know her parents and it wasn't even that but she couldn't help the worry that they would somehow turn Emma on her.

"I'd like that too," Emma nodded, ignoring the stir of nervousness in her stomach.

"Granny's?" Snow asked.

Emma nodded and looked at Regina, "Sure," she agreed, looking back at her mother, "I'll be back in a while," she said to Regina, laying a hand on her face and kissing her quickly on the lips.

"Take your time," Regina forced herself to plaster on a smile, "I suppose…" she hesitated, turning back to Snow and Charming, "We may have to find a way to at least tolerate one or another…for Emma's sake."

Both Snow and Charming couldn't hide the shock in their expressions, "Well, it may take some time. There has been a lot of bad blood, Regina," Snow started, "We can't just…trust you. I still don't understand how this relationship," she looked at her daughter and back to Regina, "even happened, but I'm sure we could…work something out."

"Just know that Emma will always be our top priority, no matter who she is with," Charming added, a hint of warning in his voice.

"So, tell us everything," Snow requested excitingly as they took a booth in Grannys.

"Everything?" Emma asked apprehensively.

"Of course," Snow beamed.

And so Emma begun what felt like a tedious tale; through many foster homes (though she tried to make it sound less horrible than it was with the guilty faces of the Charming's looking back at her), schooling, the petty thieving and eventually the last few years as a bail bondsman.

"We are so sorry we weren't here for you… You have to understand Emma we were trying to give you the best chance," Snow seemed to do most of the talking.

Emma clucked her tongue, "You never thought my best chance might be with you…even cursed?"

Charming stepped in, "We didn't know what this curse would do. Regina is a very powerful woman, we really thought it was safest to put you in that wardrobe, to get you away…. Which I suppose is somewhat ironic now…" he shrugged.

Snow bit her lip a moment before looking at her daughter, "Emma, how on earth did you end up in Storybrooke? And with Regina?"

Emma was apprehensive. Should she tell these people, her parents the whole truth? I mean, it kind of started out a bit haphazardly and would surely give them more reasons to dislike Regina. For now, she thought it was best to keep things simple.

"I don't know," she replied, "I was just driving through, on a road trip I guess, I skip towns a lot, and I kinda crashed on the icy roads. Regina found me, she saved me actually and we just…connected. She told me about magic and this place, the curse, everything."

"She told you all that?" Snow frowned.

Emma nodded, "Yeah, she did. She wanted me to know the real her and still love her and well, I do. I know you guys have history with her, but I don't know that her, okay? The Regina I know is amazing. I love her and she loves me."

Snow pursed her lips a moment and Charming had a hand on his wife's shoulder, "Emma, it's just…we've known Regina for a really, really long time. She can be extremely manipulative. We just worry," she put a hand up as Emma started to protest, "Please, let me finish. We're worried that this whole thing, you getting to town and ending up with Regina, she must have orchestrated it. It makes the most sense. Regina hates me and her last threat to us, in the Enchanted Forest, was that she would destroy our happiness if it was the last thing she ever did. What better way to do that than through you, our daughter? It's just another way for her to get her revenge on us," she finally finished.

Emma was practically seething but forced herself to keep her temper, "If she wanted to make you so miserable, why wouldn't she just keep you under the curse?"

Charming sighed in exasperation, "Don't you see? She undoes the curse and we think we get you back, but she – "

"I'm here, aren't I?" Emma snapped, throwing her hands up in annoyance.

"Emma, we're just worried. We're your parents,that's what we do."

"Yeah, when you're not sending me through a magical wardrobe to some foreign world you know nothing about to keep me safe," Emma laced that last word with sarcasm as she stood up, "You might be my parents, but you don't have any right to tell me how to live my life," she shook her head, "I was so stupid, I was actually looking forward to getting to know you guys, but no, right now, I'm done. I mean, you think just because you guys couldn't love me, nobody can? Well, Regina does."

Charming and Snow watched their daughter storm out of the diner, angry and disappointed, not only at Regina but at themselves.

"We should have been more sensitive," Snow berated herself, "Of course she has issues with love and trust and we basically just told her…"

"No, we didn't," Charming comforted his wife, "It's just how she interpreted it because she wants to be loved."

"And we're the cause of that, we abandoned her," Snow shook her head slowly.

Emma hadn't exactly walked off her anger and slammed the door behind her as she entered the mansion.

"Everything okay?" Regina popped out of the kitchen, frowning at the obviously worked up blonde standing in her foyer.

Emma shrugged, "They're idiots," she said shortly.

Regina couldn't help but to smile but quickly wiped it off her face, "What happened? You weren't out for long."

Emma closed the space between the two and rested her head on the brunette's shoulder, smiling when she felt a hand in her hair, "They think you're using me," she mumbled.

Regina's eye twitched, not that the blonde could see; it wasn't that she was using Emma, even when she had kind of manipulated her and used her, Regina hadn't even known that who Emma was in relation to Snow. And yeah, maybe when she had learnt Emma's connection to her land, she had thought of how ironic it was that was now sleeping with her biggest enemy's daughter.

Anyway, if it hadn't been true love then the curse wouldn't have broken at all, so her feelings weren't fake… She just didn't mind the benefit of them. She sighed; it wasn't that easy to kill of the evil queen, she could see that now.

"That's ridiculous," Regina whispered into blonde hair, "I love you, Emma Swan."

"I love you too," Emma mumbled back as she sunk onto a chair in the dining room, "I just thought I might have a chance to actually love my parents too. Stupid, huh?"

Regina pulled back and placed a gentle hand under Emma's chin, tilting it so their eyes locked, "It's not stupid, dear, just give it time."

Emma shrugged, "I guess so," she put her head in her hands, "Ugh, I was so cruel to them, I said… the meanest thing."

Regina's forehead crinkled, "What did you say?" she asked curiously.

Emma pulled her head out her heads, "Um. They were saying you didn't really love me," she put a hand on Regina's as she saw the anger flare in the other woman's eyes, "And I maybe said something like just because you couldn't love me doesn't mean nobody else will," she finished meekly, looking at the table.

Regina's eyes misted over, "Is that…really what you grew up thinking?" she asked.

Emma looked up at her and shrugged, "I s'pose," she tried to sound casual, "All I knew was my parents gave me up and never tried to find me."

Regina broke eye contact with the woman, stepping back a little, "I'm so sorry, Emma," she said.

Emma frowned and stood up, approaching Regina, "No, Regina, that's not what I meant at all," she put a hand on Regina's arm.

Regina pulled it away automatically, "It should be though. It's my fault you grew up that way. I mean, you get that, right?"

Emma shrugged, "Yeah, I get it."

"Then why are you with me? Why don't you hate me?" Regina asked incredulously.

The blonde took a step back, "I…I prefer not to think about it, I guess. I love the person you are today, Regina, not the evil queen. I mean, it's not my favourite thing, but you're flawed… That's part of what I love about you."

Regina frowned, "But if you don't…think about it, then if we stay together, eventually you will think about it and it will bother you."

"God, you people," Emma growled, "I just can't get it right, can I? I try to go out with my stupid parents and they ambush me, I try to love you and you just push me away. I don't understand what you want from me."

"Emma, I'm not…," Regina hesitated, "Maybe I was, I don't know. Honey – "

"Don't," Emma shook her head, "I just need to be alone a while," she finished quietly, picking the keys up she had placed on the table.

"Don't leave again, Emma, please," Regina didn't' even care that she was begging now.

"I'm sorry," was the last thing Emma said before she closed the door.


	16. Dealing

Chapter 16.

Emma swung her legs over the edge of the playground platform. This was the quietest place she could find in a town that she had found was staring at her as she had passed through it. She had thought her life was complicated before she had come to Storybrooke; what a joke, this place, these people had turned everything upside down.

She knew it made sense for her to be mad at Regina for taking her away from her parents; but the truth was when she'd got to about sixteen and her parents still hadn't pulled her out of her shitty life she decided it was easier to hate them instead. It was hard for her to _be _mad at Regina when she didn't even know if she _liked _yet alone loved her parents.

She groaned as she lay her back over the wooden planks that made up a small bridge.

"Hey," a voice sounded from the ground.

Emma grabbed her knee's and pulled herself up, spotting Belle, "Oh, hey," she tried to give a smile.

"You okay?" Belle asked.

Emma shrugged, "Sure, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, it's a big day for all of us…including you," Belle spoke so gently, Emma didn't even know if she was aware she was doing it, "The whole saviour thing must kinda freak you out."

Emma frowned, "What? Mary Margaret…Snow, whatever, used that word earlier too…" she mused.

"Oh," Belle's smile faltered, "It's what we called you, I guess. You were prophesized to come back and save us from the curse, our land's saviour."

"Saviour," Emma wrapped her tongue around the word slowly before sighing, "I'm no hero," she replied quietly, "You and your friends will realise that pretty quickly."

Belle smiled again, "Hero doesn't always mean what we think it means. In this world, hero can mean almost anything."

Emma shook her head, "Yeah, but villain means Regina, right? And I'm with her, so," she shrugged.

Belle laughed, "I'm sorry, I forget you don't know," she explained, "That man with me this morning? You know him as Mr Gold? That's Rumplestiltskin and he used to be seen as evil too, well some people still don't trust him but I see the good in him. I love him. People know that and it makes them a little more accepting."

Emma pursed her lips as she thought, "Oh. It's just…everyone seems to really, really hate Regina. She told me about what she was like in your land…" she trailed off a moment, looking to Belle for confirmation.

Belle nodded, "She was pretty…awful. Rumple actually taught her most of what she knows," she shrugged, "Anyway, I'm just saying I know what it's like to be with someone who has a dark side."

"Rumple taught Regina?" Emma leaned forward curiously, "So what made him go good then? Was it you?"

Belle blushed, "No… I mean, he didn't 'go good', there was always good inside of him, he just didn't know how to, or have a reason… I think he found it easier to be the Dark One," she finished.

"Dark One?" Emma asked.

"It's complicated," Belle frowned, "The Dark One is a title for Rumple now…a title he took from someone else… it's kind of this dark, magical entity that was feared above all else in our land."

"Wow," Emma's eyes were wide, "That's full on," was all she could think to say.

Belle smiled, "Yeah, I suppose," she agreed, "Mind if I sit?"

Emma shuffled over on the bridge as Belle climbed up, "Course not. So, can I ask you something?"

Belle nodded.

"Do you think he could return to being evil…even if he's been good for so long?" Emma asked reservedly, clenching her jaw.

Belle sighed, "I think anyone can do bad things, don't you? But I guess," she pondered for a moment, "some people are more susceptible to evil than others… I don't know Regina very well, but I've heard the stories, mostly from Rumple, and I think for both of them actually, they dealt with their issues in life through dark magic, and that seems to be somehow addictive and it gets into their everything…their soul, their habits, it's how they cope… But I don't think even evil can completely force out the good from anyone."

Emma smiled, "Optimist, huh?"

Belle smiled, "Naïve, some might say, but I do like to believe that good, that love can overpower any evil."

"Hmm," Emma hummed.

"Does that sound stupid?" Belle asked sheepishly.

"It sounds like something from a fairy tale," Emma muttered, just as embarrassed, "Oh… Rumple is your beast. Beauty and the beast."

Belle quirked an eyebrow.

Emma shrugged, "That's what your tale is called in this land, beauty and the beast. The beautiful woman who turns the evil beast good, I mean, it's simplified obviously, but it's what you were saying."

Belle nodded, "I suppose it kind of is. So, for you to break the curse…with Regina…it must be true love?" now it was Belle who looked curious.

Emma bit her bottom lip, "She's pretty amazing," she found herself saying, before she blushed and looked at her hands, "I mean, she makes me feel like the most important person in the world and she gets me and she is so beautiful, I mean we don't have women like that in the real world, we just don't and…" she stopped, looking at an amused Belle, "I'm sorry," she shook her head, "Sorry."

Belle smiled, "It's okay. It's nice. I knew she had good in her, she just needed someone to see it."

Emma laughed, "You've really got that optimist thing down, huh?"

"So what about your parents? Have you had the chance to talk to them?"

The blonde groaned again, "I don't know. A little, they tried to convince me Regina is trying to use me and I stormed out. Mature, right?"

"It must be hard, though," Belle acknowledged, "You should give them a chance, though. Not everybody is as optimistic as me," she grinned, "It might take the rest of town a while longer to realise that Regina is trying to be good. I mean, you're Snow White's daughter, you have no idea how much that helps."

Emma shifted in her spot, "Yeah, I'm still trying to get a hold on this whole being the daughter of fairy tale's character thing, it's…kind of a big deal."

"Well, you're the girlfriend of a fairy tale character, right? What's the difference?" Belle questioned, before adding, "I mean, the evil queen, she's in these fairy tale's right?"

Emma nodded slowly, thinking, "Yeah, she is," she replied distractedly, "Maybe you're right. I should give them another shot…without being so hot-tempered."

"Emma," Belle said seriously, "It's understandable, you're under a lot of stress. I mean, completely unbeknown to you, you entered into the middle of some family feud that you knew nothing about, you didn't even know the family. Maybe you just need to slow down and give yourself time to process things a while," she delivered this speech tenderly.

Emma nodded, again lost in thought.

Emma walked in the door, putting her keys down and making her way into the kitchen. She smiled at the sight of Regina tending to something on the stove; she always cooked when she was stressed. Emma lent against the bench and watched her, until Regina turned to face her.

Regina whispered an apology before she threw her fists into Emma's chest, earning a pained gasp.

"Regina," Emma whimpered, "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, Emma, but I can't lose you," Regina almost had to choke out her words.

"You won't, you can't. I love you, you don't need to do this," Emma pleaded through the pain.

Regina's eyes clouded over as she removed the emotion from her expression, "I love you too, and now you will be mine, no matter who tries to interfere with us," she pulled her lover's heart out and let it beat in her hand.

Emma stared at it wide eyed, "You know it's true love," she tried, "You couldn't have broken the curse if it wasn't."

Regina's eyes widened this time, "How do you know that? I never told you true love was the only thing that would break the curse."

Emma shrugged, "Belle said something about it, it's true, isn't it?"

Regina stared at the beating heart in her hand, "Yes, it's true."

"So then, you know I really love you?" Emma pressed.

Regina nodded, "Yes, I know that," she agreed.

"Then you don't need my heart," Emma concluded, trying to lead the mayor to a sensible end.

"Just because you love me…doesn't mean you will never leave me," Regina said stonily.

"Regina, don't you see? I just want to be with you, it's all I want. I walked out on my parents today because they wouldn't accept you. I let you keep me here in this house for a month without complaining, it drives me crazy sometimes how much and how blindly I love you. I just want to drown in you, but please, let me do it with my heart. Let me show you," the blonde couldn't hold back the lump in her throat any longer and let a couple of tears trickle out of her eyes.

Regina stared at the woman in front of her for minutes on end, with those big pleading eyes, professing her intense love for the brunette.

"You don't mean that," she said eventually, quietly, "You will want to know your parents eventually. You know that."

Emma thought about debating but sighed, "Maybe. Okay, yes, probably. I mean, I have questions for them, sure. But I haven't needed them for twenty eight years and I don't need their relationship advice now."

Regina unintentionally squeezed the heart in her hands as she made to clench her fists and Emma dropped onto her knee's, holding her chest in pain. Regina quickly loosened her grip.

"No, Emma, I'm sorry," guilt-ridden she helped the blonde up, "Family is a strong connection…especially for people like the Charming's."

Emma nodded, "So is true love," she shot back, "You know what has more control than you taking my heart?"

Regina frowned and shook her head, "What?"

"Me giving you my heart," Emma smiled, "And I don't mean the stupid organ beating in your hand."

Regina pulled her bottom lip into her mouth as she pondered, "I just want you to stay," she whispered.

"And I want to stay. We can do this, prove you're good, to this town, together."

"I don't care about this town, Emma," she used her free hand to stroke the younger woman's cheek, "As long as you know."

"I do," Emma held the hand tighter against her face, "You _are_ good, Regina. I see it in you every day," she believed it too.

Regina let out a sob as her hand dropped from Emma's face and silently thrust the heart back into Emma's chest, "If you ever leave me…" she attempted to threat but her wavering tone exposed her fear.

"I won't," Emma whispered, "Just let me love you."

"We could make her choose," Snow suggested, "Give Regina the kingdom and – "

"We can't unleash her on the kingdom, Snow," Charming exclaimed.

"Well, then we can find a way to trap her there," Snow said angrily, "Something!"

Charming sighed, "Snow, if we make her choose between her girlfriend or us right now, who do you think she's going to choose?"

"We're family," Snow replied hotly.

"A family she doesn't even know," Charming reiterated gently, "And clearly she more than knows Regina right now."

"You know that's only because she's got our daughter's heart," tears stung Snow's eyes, "That's the only explanation."

Charming pondered for only a moment, "I don't disagree, but until we know – "

"Until we know?" Snow asked, "Why else would our daughter, the savior fall in love with Regina, she is pure evil. You forget how well I know her."

Charming frowned, "You knew Regina before she was the evil queen… She had good in her, didn't she?"

Snow frowned, "I thought so once… but I was wrong. David, she locked us all in this place, without any memories of who we were or who we loved, for twenty eight years. I'm sure it would have been longer if she could have had it that way."

Charming sighed, "Hm. Look, I think we need to get our priorities here, we need to talk to the town – "

"She's our daughter, for – "

"I know," it wasn't often the Charming's had a yelling fight but pressure was at it's highest point after the curse broke so instead of a happy reunion of true love, they were fighting over the kitchen table, "I know, darling, but for now, all we can do is give her time to cool down while we have a meeting with the town about what happens next."

"Red, hey," Snow hugged her friend tightly.

"Snow, it's so good to see you," Red returned the embrace enthusiastically, "Can you believe all this?"

"I know, it's crazy, we're just trying to get some kind of order…" Snow looked over at her husband who was talking to a crowd.

"And your daughter, have you talked to her? You know, Belle and I saw her in town the other day but I mean, we had no idea…"

"Yeah, well how would you?" Snow smiled briefly.

"So? How is she?" Red pressed her friend for details.

Snow shook her head, throwing up her hands, "It's complicated. We had lunch today," she nodded, "And we really screwed it up. We told her not to be with Regina."

"Hm, well, that's understandable, right?" Ruby raised her eyebrows in question.

"Not according to her… She says it's true love," Snow couldn't have looked unhappier.

"With the Evil Queen?" Ruby looked sceptical, "Surely you're not going to let them stay together?"

"Well," Snow looked around before leaning in, "Are you up for a mission?"

Red's face lit up, "Totally, return of bandit Snow?" she smirked.

Snow rolled her eyes, "Sure, but top secret, okay?" she looked over at her husband guiltily.

Red nodded, "Okay, sure, I can keep a secret. So what's the game?"

"We're going to break into Regina's vault and find my daughter's heart," Snow had a glint in her eye that until now, this town had never seen.

Red nodded slowly, before her face broke into an excited grin; she needed some adventure back in her life, "Game on."


	17. Home

A/N: Just wanted to say thanks so much for the favs/reviews This was my first SQ fanfic and I didn't expect it to be as successful as it is, so thank you and if you're on tumblr feel free to follow me at

Chapter 17.

Snow waited for her friend in the cemetery anxiously, checking her watch until Ruby finally turned up, clad in her old red cloak.

"Sorry, Snow, got held up with Granny," she grinned, clearly excited to have a new adventure after so long, "So, what's the plan?"

Snow shrugged, "We find our way in, we find Emma's heart and return it to where it really belongs."

"That simple, huh?" Ruby had to smile at her friends, somewhat blind, determination as she followed her over to the door of the crypt that Snow had started fiddling with, "Pretty sure she's going to have that protected kind of heavily," she hated being the voice of the reason as she endured a glare from her friend.

"Well, there must be a way in," Snow growled, "Come on, can't you do something, you know with your…"

"Wolves can't pick locks, Snow," she quirked an eyebrow at her friend, "Or break through magical protection. Maybe we need help."

Snow frowned, "But the only people who have magic in this town are Regina…and Rumplestiltskin. He doesn't exactly hand over favours and somehow I don't really think he cares much about Regina stealing my daughter's heart and putting it in her stupid vault," she hit the door aggressively.

"She doesn't have my heart," a quiet voice sounded behind the two women and they spun around to face Emma and Regina standing a few meters away.

Emma looked more than annoyed and surged forward, closer to her mother, "She was coming here to look for something to help your people get back to your world and you still think she's the bad guy? I thought you were meant to believe the best about people. You even said you'd try, but you were lying," she was hurt; she'd wanted to give her parents another chance but Snow was making that really hard right now.

Regina put a hand on Emma's arm to calm her, "It's okay, dear," she said, "Trust will not just bloom from nowhere, it is going to take time."

Snow shook her head and stepped towards her daughter, "Emma, don't you see the illogic in all of this?" she gestured towards Regina, "She is called the Evil Queen for a reason - "

"That was a long time ago," Emma shot back, "Anyway, don't you know the curse wouldn't have broken unless it was true love? Why isn't that enough for you?" she pushed.

"Because I don't want you with her," Snow snapped honestly, "I can't trust her, I have given her a thousand chances and each time I do, she further hurts either me personally or my people. I am over giving her chances. She found another way to break the curse, Emma, I just know it," she paused as she rested a hand on her daughter's arm, "Just because you don't have your heart doesn't mean you would be aware it's not there. She controls people through it and they don't always know it," her eyes pleaded with her headstrong daughter to believe her but Emma stepped back, pulling her arm away from Snow.

"Fine, you really think she has my heart?" Emma asked, turning to Regina, "Show them. Take it out now, show them it's still in my chest."

Regina blinked stupidly at the request, "What?"

Snow's eyes narrowed, settling on Regina accusingly. Ruby kept an eye an on her friend, unsure whether to intervene or be a silent party in the situation she suddenly found herself a part of.

"Take it out, show her," she persisted, "Please, do it," she said a little more softly this time.

Regina swallowed hard and looked at Ruby and Snow watching her accusingly, already making up their minds that Regina wouldn't or couldn't show them this. Her head spun, she didn't want to see the pain on Emma's face again, she'd put her through enough.

She sighed in defeat, "Okay," she said, somewhat numbly, pulling Emma over to her, "You know this will hurt," she whispered and the blonde nodded as Regina put a comforting hand on her neck and closed her eyes, thrusting her hand into her lover's chest, quickly withdrawing a strong, beating heart.

Snow's eyes widened and subconsciously she stepped closer to the two woman,as Regina lay her hand flat so she could see it, "No," Snow whispered, staring at it for a few moments.

"Yes," Emma snapped, "Is that enough?" she whispered, "Can't you believe now?"

Snow lifted her eyes to meet her daughters, seeing the pain cross it fleetingly as Regina replaced the heart in her chest, "I suppose I have no choice," she whispered.

"Well, you could always abandon me again," Emma replied stonily, though they all saw through it; realising this was why Emma had been so desperate to show her mother she still had her heart.

Snow looked as though she'd been slapped, "I just wanted to give you your best chance, an escape from the curse," she whispered, placing a hand on her daughter's cheek gently, "I am so sorry."

Emma could see the truth, the pain in her mother's eyes, "I believe you," she replied, "But maybe I would have liked to have grown up with you, even under the curse."

Snow nodded, "I can see that now," she admitted, "Please, let us take you home."

"Home?" Emma repeated, "The Enchanted Forest... is your home, not mine."

"It is where you were born...but I suppose not where you grew up," she realised, "Where is your home, then?" Snow asked.

Emma shrugged, "I never had a home, I suppose," she declared, "But now?" she slipped her hand into Regina's, "My home is with Regina. She makes me feel loved and safe, two things I have never really felt before."

Snow still tensed at the admission but she offered a small smile, "Well, then, I hope you will let me, and your father, into your life also, so we can be what we should have been all along - a family."

"I suppose I can consider it, if you stop accusing Regina of things she didn't do, and leave the past in the past."

Snow took a deep breath, "I guess the breaking of this curse can be a new beginning...for everyone," she locked eyes with Regina and extended a hand, which the other woman took and shook, unable to hide a little skepticism.

"Do you want to go back to the Enchanted Forest?" Emma asked, looking up at Regina from resting her head in her lap.

Regina looked surprised and frowned, "I honestly don't know, dear. I was a different person there, as you know, a person I don't want to go back to being."

Emma nodded, "But just because you go back doesn't mean you have to be the Evil Queen."

"Do you want to go there?" Regina queried curiously.

Emma shrugged, "I'd like to see it...where I was born, where my parents lived, where you lived... But I don't know that I'd want to live there. But I suppose, that's not really possible."

Regina hummed, "I am the most powerful sorceress in the land, I may be able to figure something out."

Emma sat up, her eyes lit up, "Really? So we could ... visit?"

"I don't know, let me work on it, okay?" Regina smiled at the excitement in Emma's eyes and put a hand on her chin, pulling her closer as she pressed her lips against the blonde's, who responded enthusiastically, crawling into Regina's lap as she held a hand on her cheek whilst their tongues continued to dance.


	18. Another World

Chapter 18.

"And why do you think I would help you, dearie?"

Regina rolled her eyes; there always had to be an argument between these two before one would give in and help the other, it was just their way, "Because it's not just me who wants to go back," she stated nonchalantly, "There are others in the town who miss their homes, who have possessions that didn't make it to this land," she shrugged before leaning forward, "You know it makes sense, to at least figure out if it's _possible."_

Rumple glared at Regina for a moment before he sighed, "Why wouldn't I simply make a portal myself and leave you out? After all, you are the Evil Queen, perhaps our world would be better bereft of such ruling."

Regina laughed, "Because you need my help," she replied confidently.

Rumple chuckled, "What makes you think that, dearie?"

The brunette smiled deviously, "Because if you didn't, you wouldn't still be here."

The look on Rumple's face told her she was spot on and her smile widened as the older man sighed and shuffled around his shop until he uncovered an object that made Regina's breath hitch in her throat and her eyes shine.

"The magical wardrobe?" Regina frowned, "Has it still the power to transport back to our land?"

Rumple shrugged, "Perhaps. I have been...unable to activate the power I'm sure lies within it, but perhaps you will have more luck. Or perhaps..." he trailed off.

"Perhaps what?" Regina asked stonily.

"Your new friend, the saviour... She came here in it, it is possible that she, and only she has the power to renew the strength of this portal," he shrugged.

Regina nodded; that actually made sense, she figured, and without a word turned on heel and walked out of the antique shop, now on a mission.

"But, how am I meant to...I don't know how," Emma frowned, crouching down, looking at the wardrobe back in Gold's shop, "Is this really how I got here?" she looked up at Regina.

"It is," Regina nodded, "And it might be the only way we can get back."

Emma turned back to the tree fashioned into a wardrobe and scratched her head, "What do I do?"

Regina bit the corner of her lip, "Open it," she offered.

Emma played with her hands nervously for a moment, not sure what to expect as she reached out and pulled the door open, revealing not only a small room, but a quite large room, larger than the tree was wide and taller too, her eyes became round with shock and she looked up at Regina, who looked just as surprised.

"If it's so big, why didn't anyone come with me?" she asked quietly.

Regina bent down next to her, "I don't believe it was so big when they built it, honey. It was only big enough for you as a baby... I think, I think you made it bigger when you touched it."

"I didn't do anything though," Emma protested.

Regina smiled, "Your magic is very strong, even if you are not yet aware of it."

Emma frowned, "Oh," she didn't know what else to say, "So...what now?"

"Now we take a trip," Regina offered a hand which Emma took a little nervously.

"Really? That's it? It will just...transport us?" Emma looked apprehensive.

Regina squeezed her hand, "Just think of fairy tale land, and your magic will take us there," she whispered, kissing her girlfriend on the lips quickly, "You are stronger than you think, dear."

"How will we get back?" Emma stepped back in a moment of panic.

Regina smiled, "It's okay," she soothed, "I have a stash of magic beans in my castle," she shrugged.

"Magic...beans?" Emma was never going to get used to this, she thought.

"Yes, they act as portals."

Emma nodded; she trusted Regina, "Okay. Let's do it. Let's go to fairy tale land," she smiled at the brunette who took the lead and stepped into the room that had materialised from the magical wardrobe, pulling the blonde in after her and pulling the door closed after her, before embracing Emma, pulling her head into her chest.

"Here we go," she whispered.

"Whoa, this is what you used to wear?" Emma's jaw dropped as she looked at Regina's wardrobe, "Like every day?"

Regina smirked, "Yes, dear, every day."

Emma bit down on her lip subconsciously, "Can you show me?"

Regina blinked, "What? Now?"

Emma shrugged, "Why not? Please," she pleaded, widening her eyes the way she knew always got to Regina's soft spot..

Regina rolled her eyes, "Fine, go over there and close your eyes until I say."

Emma nodded and bounced over to the bed, before closing her eyes.

After a few moments she sighed heavily, getting impatient, "Are you done yet?"

Regina grunted, "I do not miss putting these outfits on every day, that's for sure. Okay, done," she declared.

The blonde's eyes almost popped out of her skull and she stood up, making her way to the brunette, "Holy shit," she breathed, trying, albeit it not trying very hard, not to stare at the way Regina's dress pushed her breasts up in a very attractive way.

Regina cleared her throat, "Face, dear," she tried to sound stern but was clearly amused.

Emma blushed and looked up at her girlfriend, "Sorry," she muttered but grinned when Regina just laughed.

"It's okay if it's you," she claimed, kissing her quickly on the lips.

Emma giggled, "You look stunning," she mumbled, ducking her head into Regina's neck, "Not that you don't always," she added quickly, "But, well," she pulled back and measured Regina's body with her eyes, "Wow," she expressed.

Regina laughed, "You are so adorable," she whispered, pushing Emma back onto the bed, "Does that mean you don't want me to take it off?" she grinned devilishly.

Emma licked her lips as she stared up at her girlfriend, breasts still capturing all of her attention, "Um," she stuttered as Regina climbed on top of her, "I think you should take it off," she nodded.

Regina chortled, "You may need to give me a hand, dear."

Emma grinned and sat up, and after a few tedious minutes managed to slip the gown off of her girlfriend, her breasts now fully exposed, "Whoa," Emma muttered; she'd seen Regina before, of course, but there was something about getting her out of that dress, and that ridiculously tight corset that just made her head foggy.

Regina giggled, flattered by the younger woman's attention and climbed back on top of her, running a hand over her clothes, "Mm, I think you should return the favour, don't you?" she purred into Emma's ear with warm breath as she made quick work on the other woman's clothes, "You're pretty whoa yourself," she mumbled, making Emma blush.

Emma grinned widely through heated cheeks as Regina's hands roamed over her now bare body until she felt a tingle that was more than just goosebumps on her skin. She lifted her head to see Regina's hand on her waist and purple sparks emanating from it and dancing a long her skin.

"What is that?" Emma asked curiously,m wide eyed.

Regina smiled up at her, "Does it feel good?"

Emma nodded, "Really good," she lent her head back, letting a moan escape her throat.

Regina chuckled, "I'm glad."

"So, what is it? Magic?" Emma queried.

Regina nodded, "Magic," she whispered, "It's what I feel for you put into energy and passed through my hands," she shrugged as though it was nothing, "And right now," she whispered, "I want to please you."

Emma breathed out heavily as the pressure from Regina's fingertips increased and slid down to her thigh, massaging it gently, "You're amazing," she groaned, pulling Regina's hand up into her wetness.

Regina chuckled, "So impatient," she teased as she began working her lover over with one hand and holding Emma's body flush against her chest with the other, enjoying the feel of her warm, heavy breath against her neck and then her teeth in her shoulder as Emma let out a growl and a moan as her body began to shudder. Regina kissed her cheek, her forehead, her neck, everywhere she could reach as Emma rode out one of the most magical orgasms of her life.

Emma lay comfortably in her lover's arms, her face nuzzled into Regina's bare shoulder and her body as close as she could get it to the other woman's as she closed her eyes contentedly. Regina's arms wrapped around the blonde and she had a satisfied smile on her face.

"Hm, I don't think this was the plan for your little visit, was it?" Regina murmured after a few minutes of content silence.

Emma groaned, "Maybe not, but have you seen yourself in that dress? Come on, you can't blame me."

Regina rolled her eyes but chortled, "I suppose it is lucky we left your parents back home, then isn't it?"

Emma grinned, pulling her body away from Regina's so she could look at her as she spoke, "Definitely a good idea," she giggled and placed a hand on the other woman's neck, "I think I know why they called you the Evil Queen now."

Regina frowned at the amused look on the woman's face, "Why is that, dear?"

Emma smiled widely, "Cause you walked around in that damn sexy costume and you didn't let anyone get close. That's pretty evil," she laughed at the look on Regina's face.

"You do say the strangest things, Emma," Regina shook her head, "Lucky I like strange," she mumbled as she let herself smile.

The blonde blushed, "Seriously though," she stopped smiling, running her hand up and down Regina's neck and sweeping a thumb over her jaw, "You are so beautiful," she whispered, "Whatever you wear, you're stunning."

Regina couldn't help the heat that crawled up her neck as she reveled in the way that Emma stared at her like she was the whole world, "Thank you, dear," she simply murmured, "I love you."

Emma's face broke out into a wide smile, which made Regina chuckle quietly, "I love you too."

"So, shall I show you the rest of the land?" Regina asked as she shifted in the bed.

"Yeah, sure. But I don't think anything can beat this view," Emma replied, biting her bottom lip to hold back a cheeky smile as she watched Regina climb out of the bed.

Regina pretended to glare, but somehow she never could get that well known snarl right around the blonde so she sighed and rolled her eyes, "Come on you, get dressed," she threw Emma's discarded shirt onto the bed, where the younger woman pouted for a moment before pulling it on.

"Yes, your majesty," she muttered with a cheeky grin on her face as her eyes stayed fixed on Regina who offered another half hearted glare, though she quite liked those words passing from Emma's lips and smiled to herself once she had turned away from her lover.


	19. New Beginnings

Chapter 19.

"Wow, this place is massive. I could spend all day here," Emma said, staring up at the ceiling in the halls of the kingdom. It really was spectacular, she thought.

Regina smiled at the woman's innocent curiosity; she poked her head through every door and simply stared, marveling at the castle that both her and Emma's parents had all ruled at some stage.

"Your room is still my favourite though," Emma grinned slyly, nibbling her lip.

"I'm glad," Regina wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders as they continued the tour, Emma exploring every inch of the castle until she reached a door but felt the other woman's hand tight on her arm and turned around.

"What is it?" Emma frowned, her brow furrowed.

Regina looked at the closed door, "That room...," she said slowly, "I believe It's your nursery," she said quietly.

Emma took a step back wordlessly, blinking rapidly as her head spun and she lost her footing slightly. She hadn't even thought of… That was just bizarre.

"Dear, are you okay?" Regina asked, watching the blonde worriedly and catching her as her unsteady feet betrayed her.

Emma turned to her, her face a little pale, "Uh-huh," she replied unconvincingly.

Regina's eyes softened as she placed a hand on Emma's cheek, "It's okay... but maybe you should wait until we bring your parents here to go in there," she suggested, "Perhaps it is something you should do with them."

Emma clenched her teeth but nodded, "Yeah," she stammered, "I think you're right," still, she stared at the door before her, wondering what lay behind it now, if she would remember it at all, if it would even mean anything to her now. But she knew it would still mean something to her parents, and maybe this was their way forward, to share something so special, create the bond that they hadn't been able to find in Storybrooke.

"Come, darling, why don't I show you the rest of the Enchanted Forest?" Regina encouraged the young woman away from the door and out into the sun, "Now, in other times, I would have a cart arranged for us but it appears this land is barren of life at the moment, so we shall have to walk instead."

Emma nodded silently, offering a small smile and slipping her hand into Regina's as the queen showed off the stretches of her old kingdom.

Snow swung the door open, surprised to see her daughter standing in front of her.

"Emma," she said, "Is everything okay?"

They hadn't exactly talked a lot since the confrontation at Regina's vault, but they hadn't left things badly either, just kind of unresolved.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Emma reassured her, "May I come in?"

Snow smiled, "Of course," she opened the door further and led Emma into their small sitting area.

"This is nice," Emma commented politely as she glanced around the loft before taking a seat, "No Charming?"

Snow shook her head, "No, he's at the station," wondering what all this was about and if Regina knew that Emma was here.

Emma nodded; perhaps it would be easier without both of them giving her the hurt, wide eyed thing, she thought.

"Um, so..." Emma started as she felt her mother's curious eyes on her, "Regina found a way to get back to fairy tale land. I mean, kind of," she spoke quickly now, "We don't know the technicalities, but I mean, it worked," she stumbled over her words, "I mean, works. I mean - "

"Worked?" Snow had picked up on the use of the past tense word and leaned forward, "What do you mean, worked? Did you... Have you...?"

Emma nodded slowly, "Yes," she whispered, "We went through yesterday."

"You and Regina," Snow stated slowly, "Hang on, how did she manage this?"

Emma swallowed through a tight throat, "Rumplestiltskin had the magic wardrobe," she said quietly.

Snow's eyes widened, "You used the wardrobe? But - "

"I guess it's grown as I have," Emma interrupted, knowing what the small brunette was thinking, "Anyway, we went to the castle... It's really beautiful."

Snow closed her eyes for a moment trying to breathe, "I suppose Regina gave you the royal tour?" she tried not to sound petulant but envy burned through her veins. Still, Emma was here now, she thought, that had to be a step forward, surely.

Emma hesitated, "Well yeah, she did. But there was one room... I thought perhaps you could show me."

"Your nursery," Snow breathed as she put a hand on her daughter's cheek, "I would love to show you, Emma. I am honoured you asked me."

Emma smiled, "Well, like you said, new beginnings, right? I just hope you know this isn't going to be easy... I mean, I know your my parents but I hardly know you. It's not so easy for me to open up to new people," she shrugged.

Snow nodded, "I understand. I am just glad you are giving us a chance," she offered a watery smile, "When shall we go then? Would you like your fa...Charming to come as well?"

Emma nodded slowly, "That would be nice. Is tomorrow okay?"

"Of course," Snow said enthusiastically before pulling the blonde in for a hug and was relieved when after a nervous moment, her daughter returned the hug.


	20. Old Memories, New Bonds

Chapter 20.

"Emma… Emma, would you sit down?" Regina said as she watched the blonde pace the lounge back and forth for minutes on end.

The blonde ignored her, crossing and then uncrossing her arms.

"Emma," Regina spoke more loudly before she stood up and took the woman by the shoulders, "Please…calm down, baby," she placed a hand on the younger woman's cheek, caressing it lightly, "You're working yourself up more, I know you're nervous – "

"Maybe this is a mistake," Emma spoke suddenly, running a hand through her own hair.

Regina sighed, "Honey, it's not… This will be good for you and your parents relationship," she couldn't even believe what she was saying, "You want a relationship with them, I know you do," she continued to run her fingers over Emma's cheek as the other hand held her hands.

Emma let her body start to calm down under her girlfriend's touch, "I do," she admitted as she nodded a little breathlessly, "You're right. I know you're right," she closed her eyes.

"It's okay to be nervous, dear," Regina's fingers moved to blonde hair, "But you're stronger than you give yourself credit for, you'll be fine," she smiled, encouragingly as she moved her hand away.

Emma smiled back, "Thanks," she whispered, "You always know how to make me feel better."

Regina's smile grew, "That's what I'm here for," she kissed Emma's lips, lingering for a moment before she pulled away.

Charming ran his hands over the frame of the wardrobe, shaking his head, staring at it with incredulity in his eyes. He felt both his wife and daughter's stares on him and pulled his gaze away to meet their faces.

"After all this time…" Charming shook his head, "It's just a little overwhelming," he smiled weakly.

Snow grab and squeezed his hand, "It is," she agreed, "But it's also amazing."

Emma raised her eyebrows and bit her lip, "So… Who made this thing anyway?" she asked.

"Gepetto, or you might know him as Marco. He was a carpenter," Charming explained, "He did the most amazing job, and then the magic…. It was the only safe passage that existed out of the Enchanted Forest once the curse was activated."

Emma nodded, "The only safe passage? So…nobody else escaped the curse…other than little, baby me?"

Snow nodded, "That's right," she confirmed, taking a deep breath, "Are you ready to go?"

Emma shrugged, "Sure," she approached the wardrobe, somehow feeling a weird sense of ownership over it, she pried open the doors, ignoring the gasps of her parents behind her, "Yeah, I guess it used to be smaller huh?" she tried to joke, as her mother took her hand.

"So, Regina gave you the tour, right?" Charming asked, as he looked around in wonder, continuing when Emma answered with the affirmative, "I guess it was her castle longer than it was ours… Shall we head to the nursery?"

Emma felt herself tense up but nodded, "Sure," she tried to answer confidently but Snow saw through her façade and took her hand once again, squeezing it.

They finally stood outside the door to the nursery and it was Charming who turned the handle and let it swing open.

"I know it was only a few weeks, but this was your home," he said, putting a tentative hand on Emma's back as she passed into the room.

She walked over to the crib, laying her hands on it gently and looking down into her old bed. She didn't remember it at all; how could she expect to, she'd only been a baby. She picked up a bear from the crib and looked at it closely.

"I don't suppose you would recall anything, you were just a baby, honey," Snow moved beside Emma, laying her hands on the crib too.

"No," Emma shook her head, "I don't," she took a deep breath and played with the mobile hanging above the crib.

"We had a better one actually, we just hadn't put it up… We should probably see if it's Mr Gold's shop," Snow referred to the mobile Emma was spinning.

"He had the wardrobe too," Emma said slowly, "Why does he have all this stuff from the curse?"

Charming frowned, facing his daughter, "We're not sure. There was a bunch of things that seemed to have crossed the realms and settled in his shop. We haven't been through it all yet…"

Emma nodded, "Oh," she held up the teddy bear, "Can I keep this?" she asked.

Charming smiled, "Of course," he nodded, "It's yours."

Emma's lips upturned slightly as she fixed her gaze back on the bear, "Thanks," she said, "And your castle, it's beautiful by the way. I mean, it's just like…" Emma felt stupid, but she still wasn't used to the fact that the phrase fairy tale was a reality now, "Well, it's just beautiful," she finished, "I guess this is where I would have grown up, huh?"

Snow nodded, a sad smile on her face, "You would have."

"Would I be like a princess or something?" Emma asked, frowning.

Snow smiled more, "You would have been our princess, yes," she said with shining eyes.

Emma nodded, "I never liked dresses, much," she muttered, "I probably would have been a pain in the ass for those dances and stuff, it's not exactly my scene," she realized her words were hurting her parents, "I'm sorry," she rushed, "It's just… I mean, maybe it would have been different if I'd grown up here, but…I didn't," she shrugged, "And I was just never that girly."

Snow nodded, "It's okay, don't apologise. Things are the way they are and we can't change them, really there's no use dwelling on the past… though that's often easier said than done."

Emma nodded, "Well, I'm kind of glad for the way things have turned out. I mean, my life hasn't been so bad, a bit rocky I suppose but I'm alright, healthy and I think I'm a pretty decent person, plus I wouldn't have met Regina…or at least, not _this _Regina..."

"Didn't you miss growing up without parents?" Snow asked in a hushed voice as her husband squeezed her hand.

"Well, I didn't know what it was like to _have _parents, ever, really. So I didn't really miss it because I never knew it, if that makes sense. I got used to the foster system, which was awful but I got out on my own as soon as I could so I mean, it gave me independence," she shrugged.

Charming took a tentative step forward, "Well, you can know what it's like to have parents now. It's never too late for family, right?" his eyebrows were raised in hopeful question as he looked at his daughter.

Emma hesitated but smiled, "Yeah, it's never too late for family. I guess I did wonder…what it would be like to have the people who made me…around me," she stepped into her fathers waiting arms and felt Snow's arms embrace her too, as she hurriedly wiped tears from her face before pulling away.

"We love you, Emma, never forget that," Snow wiped her own tears away.


End file.
